This study was designed to revisit the response bias hypothesis, which posits that gender differences in depression prevalence rates may reflect a tendency for men to underreport depressive symptoms. In this study, we examined aspects of gender role socialization (genderrelated traits, socially desirable responding, beliefs about mental health and depression) that may contribute to a response bias in self-reports of depression. In addition, we investigated the impact of two contextual variables (i.e., cause of depression and level of intrusiveness of experimental follow-up) on self-reports of depressive symptoms. Results indicated that men, but not women, reported fewer depressive symptoms when consent forms indicated that a more involved follow-up might occur. Further, results indicated differential responding by men and women on measures of gender-related traits, mental health beliefs, and beliefs about depression and predictors of depressed mood. Together, our results support the assertion that, in specific contexts, a response bias explanation warrants further consideration in investigations of gender differences in rates of self-reported depression.

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This study explored menstrual symptoms, somatic focus, negative affect, and psychophysiological responding across the menstrual cycle in women with panic disorder and controls. Women with and without panic disorder completed a psychophysiological task and self-report measures of menstrual symptoms, somatic focus, and negative affect on 4 occasions across 2 menstrual cycles (twice during intermenstrual and premenstrual phases). Women in the panic disorder group exhibited greater skin conductance magnitude and more frequent skin conductance responses to anxiety-provoking stimuli during the premenstrual phase than did controls. Compared to controls, women with panic disorder endorsed more severe menstrual symptoms relating to bodily sensations, anxiety sensitivity, state and trait anxiety, fear of body sensations, and illness-related concerns. The applicability of anxiety sensitivity to understanding the relation of menstrual reactivity and panic disorder is discussed.

Individuals diagnosed with seasonal depression (MDD-SAD), nonseasonal depression (MDD), and controls completed a modified Stroop task and viewed winter and summer content scenes while skin conductance levels were recorded. Participants in the MDD-SAD and MDD groups took longer than controls to color name dark and depressive content words; however, individuals in the MDD group took longer than controls to color name all words. In reaction to winter scenes, individuals in the MDD-SAD group exhibited a greater frequency of significant skin conductance responses and greater amplitude of skin conductance responses than individuals in the MDD and control groups. These results add to a growing literature on seasonal reactivity which suggests that there may be specific features that distinguish seasonal and nonseasonal depression.Keywords Seasonal depression AE Seasonal reactivity AE Seasonal affective disorder AE Attentional bias Although the effects of the changing seasons on mood and behavior have long been of interest to laypeople, only in the last 20 years have researchers systematically approached the topic with scientific rigor. Initial research on seasonal depression investigated environmental and chronobiological contributions; however, recent research on seasonal depression has focused on the application of cognitive