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Identifying depression, suggesting help may depend on gender

The ability to identify depression depended on both the gender of the respondent and the individual with depression, according to recent study results. The likelihood of recommending professional help also depended on gender, representing a possible barrier to seeking mental health care.

“Clinicians might need to be aware that women and men perceive and understand symptoms of mental ill health differently, with men quite likely under-reporting as a result,” study researcher Viren Swami, PhD, of the department of psychology at the University of Westminster in London, told Healio.com.

 

Viren Swami

Swami surveyed a representative British sample 1,218 adults aged 18 to 78 years. Participants were randomly presented with one of two vignettes describing either a male or a female as having identical depressive symptoms. Both cases were described in non-clinical terms, and a portion of the vignettes went as follows:

“For the past two weeks, Kate/Jack has been feeling really down. S/he wakes up in the morning with a flat, heavy feeling that stick with her/him all day. S/he isn’t enjoying things the way s/he normally would. In fact, nothing gives her/him pleasure ...”

Later, participants were asked if the individual described in the vignette had a mental health disorder, what the disorder was, how distressing the condition was, how difficult the disorder would be to treat, and how sympathetic they were to the individual. Participants were also asked how likely they were to suggest professional help.

Both male and female participants were more likely to indicate that Jack, rather than Kate, did not have a mental health disorder (P<.001), and female participants were more likely than males to indicate that Jack had a mental health disorder (P=.012). Compared with female participants, male participants were more likely to recommend that Kate seek help (P=.005). There was no significant difference between male and female participants in their likelihood of suggesting professional help for Jack. Male and female participants also rated Kate’s condition as significantly more distressing, difficult to treat and deserving of sympathy, compared with Jack’s condition.

Swami also found that attitudes toward depression were associated with skepticism about psychiatry and anti-scientific attitudes.

According to Swami, the results underscore the role of gender in the public’s knowledge and beliefs about mental health disorders.

“These findings are consistent with the notion that dominant gender role ideologies shape attitudes toward mental health,” Swami wrote. “To the extent that mental illness is inconsistent with notions of hegemonic masculinity that stress toughness and strength, respondents may be less likely to view men with symptoms of depression as suffering from a mental health disorder and, consequently, may adopt less positive attitudes toward such persons.”

Disclosure: Swami reports no relevant financial disclosures.