Autonomy-connectedness mediates sex differences in symptoms of psychopathology.

Marrie H J Bekker,Marcel A L M Van Assen

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0181626

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine if autonomy-connectedness, capacity for self-governance under the condition of connectedness, would mediate sex differences in symptoms of various mental disorders (depression, anxiety, eating disorders, antisocial personality disorder).MethodParticipants (N = 5,525) from a representative community sample in the Netherlands filled out questionnaires regarding the variables under study.ResultsAutonomy-connectedness (self-awareness, SA; sensitivity to others, SO; capacity for managing new situations, CMNS) fully mediated the sex differences in depression and anxiety, and partly in eating disorder -(drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction) and anti-social personality disorder characteristics. The mediations followed the expected sex-specific patterns. SO related positively to the internalizing disorder indices, and negatively to the anti-social personality disorder. SA related negatively to all disorder indices; and CMNS to all internalizing disorder indices, but positively to the anti-social personality disorder.ConclusionTreatment of depression, anxiety, but also eating disorders and the antisocial personality disorder may benefit from a stronger focus on autonomy strengthening.

Highlights

The existence of sex differences in the prevalence of mental disorders is well-known (e.g., [1])
Anxiety, and eating disorders and the antisocial personality disorder may benefit from a stronger focus on autonomy strengthening
We examined the prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and the anti-social personality disorder, as these mental disorders are known to have unequal prevalence among men and women

Summary

Introduction

The existence of sex differences in the prevalence of mental disorders is well-known (e.g., [1]). Autonomy-connectedness mediates sex differences in symptoms of psychopathology disorders are recently reported to be between 3–7 times more prevalent in women than in men [3, 4]. Many background measures of the participants are assessed in the Liss panel Those deemed relevant for our study, which were included in our analyses, Autonomy-connectedness mediates sex differences in symptoms of psychopathology were age, relationship (status), and education. The Autonomy-Connectedness Scale (ACS-30; [28]) consists of 30 items, divided into three subscales: 7 items for Self-awareness, 17 items for Sensitivity to Others, and 6 items for Capacity for Managing New Situations. The reliabilities were .75, .78, .74 for Self-awareness, Sensitivity to Others, Capacity for Managing New Situations, respectively, in the present study. The construct validity of the ACS-30 has been confirmed by correlational studies showing associations in the expected directions with relevant scales including the Autonomy subscale of the Personality Research Form ([78]; Dutch adaptation by [79]), the subscales Autonomy, Change, and Succorance of the Adjective Checklist ([80]; Dutch adaptation by [81]); and with self-efficacy at work [28]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion