Sex Differences in Rates of Mental Disorders

Zerssen, D. von; Weyerer, Siegfried

doi:10.1080/00207411.1982.11448904

Cited by 44 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Von Zerssen and Weyerer (1982) hypothesised that the age effect can be explained by the change in diagnostic labelling, so that disturbed behaviour, particularly in boys, is labelled depression in childhood (requiring psychiatric intervention) but labelled personality disorder or criminal behaviour (requiring legal intervention) from adolescence on and later. The implication is that differences in sex ratio are influenced not only by overall morbidity but also by definition of caseness.…”

Section: Review Of Mental Health Studies Usin~ a Lon~tudinal Desi~nmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in depression

Nolen–Hoeksema

1991

Choice Reviews Online

198

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The proposition that there is a female preponderance in depressive experience is examined in a cohort of young adults. A number of psychosocial variables ( e.g. age, career opportunities, marital status) were initially controlled, with the expectation that there would initially be no sex differences and that a female preponderance would emerge over the subsequent decade as social heterogeneity occurred, allowing the identification of psychosocial risk factors to depression.The classification of depression and the definition of caseness in non-clinical groups are reviewed, noting the application of structured case-finding instruments with particular reference to the Diagnostic Interview Schedule or DIS, which is used here.Literature concerning the epidemiology of sex differences in depression is considered in terms of real and artifactual explanations.The study cohort commenced with 113 females and 56 males in 1978, with data on three assessments over ten years from 108 females and 53 males. The author conducted DIS interviews at a five-year follow-up then a lay interviewer conducted at a ten-year follow-up. There was moderate reliability over the ten-year period but evidence of some sex differences in recall of depressive episodes.Three different definitions of caseness were used. Sex differences in rates of depression were not found at the five-year follow-up. Sex differences at ten years were found only for the caseness definition with the lowest symptom threshold. There were no sex differences for self-report measures of trait, state depression or perceptions of parental or current intimate relationships. Females rated higher on measures of neuroticism, dependency and femininity. Sex differences in social support and coping styles when depressed are described.Using discriminant function analysis, the following risk factors relating to caseness were isolated: high trait depression, low self-esteem, high perceived maternal protection. Risk factors related to non-caseness included high paternal care and protection scores, and the presence of an intimate partner. A model linking perceived parental environment, the acquisition of self-esteem and consequent ability to sustain a good relationship with a partner and other social supports is considered. Gender did not constitute a significant risk factor, indicating the importance of social, rather than biological factors in determining onset of depressive disorders in young adults. CHAPTER ONE DEFINITION OF DEPRESSION AND ISSUES OF CASENESS CONTENTS The concept of depression Current theoretical classifications of depression Primary and secondary depression Unipolar and bipolar depression Endogenous and neurotic depression Depression categories in current diagnostic systems Diagnostic systems using operational criteria Historical development of concepts of caseness Use of self-report questionnaires Use of semi-structured instruments Discussion Summary of themes and relevance to the current research objectives CHAPTER 1WO DEVEWPMENT OF STRUCTIJRED CASE-FINDING INSTRUMEN...

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Section: Review Of Mental Health Studies Usin~ a Lon~tudinal Desi~nmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in depression

Nolen–Hoeksema

1991

Choice Reviews Online

198

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Reviews of the recent literature leave very little doubt that there are significant sex-specific differences in the rates of mental disorders (Gove, 1979; Goldman and Ravid, 1980; v. Zerssen and Weyerer, 1982). On the basis of 22 field studies conducted in Europe and North America since 1950, demonstrated that the case rate~ is much higher for women (median: 23.5%) than for men (median: 15.4%).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

The Importance of Artifactual Factors in the Relationship Between Sex and Mental Disorders

Weyerer

Meller

Thaler

1983

Int J Soc Psychiatry

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This study is based on a representative sample of 1,536 subjects (15 years of age and older) in three communities of Upper Bavaria. The rate of refusal was 6.8%. Independent of the sex of the interviewer the rate of mental illness among women was higher than among men. However, male interviewers diagnosed mental disorders for women slightly more often than did the female interviewers. Using a self-rating scale, we found a tendency indicating that women report more symptoms than do men when psychiatric respectively somatic diagnoses are held constant. 28.9% of the women and 22.1% of the men who, in cross-section, demonstrated a mental disorder, had been treated psychiatrically before. Men were more often than women admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Voluntary help-seeking seems to be more prevalent among women with emotional problems.

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“…Na comparação entre os sexos, detectou-se o predomí-nio do alcoolismo no sexo masculino e o de neurose no sexo feminino. Von Zerssen e Weyerer 25 consideram que essa antiga questão é instrutiva, quando se leva em conta cada transtorno específico. É grande o número de transtornos cujas freqüências são muito diferentes num e noutro sexo.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified