What are the gender differences in depression?

About twice as many women as men experience depression. Several factors may increase a woman’s risk of depression. Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Depression can occur at any age.

What does the research say about the gender difference in major depressive disorder?

In one study, the global 12-month prevalence of major depressive disorder was 5.8% in females and 3.5% in males (Ferrari et al., 2013). The gender difference in depression – generally believed to be twice as many females experiencing major depression as males – represents a major health disparity.

What are psychological differences between the genders?

Taking this approach, the researchers actually found gender differences for every one of the 10 aspects of personality that they looked at – women scored higher, on average, on enthusiasm, compassion, politeness, orderliness, volatility, withdrawal, and openness, while men scored higher on assertiveness.

How does gender affect major depressive disorder?

Conclusions: Main gender differences in the clinical presentation of MDD concerned a younger age of onset, higher anxiety and lower alcohol use comorbidity and higher prevalence of atypical depression in women. These differences were accompanied by differences in health care use.

What factors might explain the large gender difference in the prevalence rates of major depressive disorder?

The existing research suggests that biological differences between men and women play a significant part in explaining these differences. Cultural expectations, gender roles, and the underdiagnosis of depression in men may also be contributing factors.

What do gender differences mean?

Gender differences are variances between males and females that are based on biological adaptations that are the same for both sexes. Sex differences therefore refer only to those differences that can be attributed solely to biological difference.

How do gender roles influence gender differences?

Gender roles also create sex differences in behavior when people adopt them as gender identities. Masculine and feminine identities guide behavior through self-regulatory processes. On average, men’s and women’s behavior corresponds to their gender identities.