Depression and mastery in women: differences according to personal characteristics.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if women's depression and mastery (internal locus of control) scores differed significantly according to their marital Status, number of years married, number and age of children, educational level, income, age, religious affiliation, residence, and employment status; and to determine if depression and mastery scores were related. Subjects were 416 midwestern women between the ages of 21 and 63 yr., with a mean age of 38 yr. Currently marr~ed were 69%, 8 % were divorced, 1% were separated, 2% were widowed, and 18% were never married. The mean length of marriage was 14 yr., mean number of children was 2.5, and the children's mean age was 9.6. Sixty-one percent resided in urban areas, 30% resided in small towns (< 5,000 population), and 7% lived on farms. The mean annual family income was $24,000. Seventy-seven percent held college degrees. Sixty-eight percent were Protestant and 31% were Catholics. The Multiple Affect Adjective Check List ( 4 ) and the Pearlin Mastery Scale ( 3 ) were admin~stered in groups to all women in attendance at state conventions of nurses, Home Economics teachers, National Organization for Women, and Catholic Guild. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and Pearson correlational procedures. Significant differences were found in depression scores of subjects according to their marital status (P4,311 = 2.76, p < .02) ; married women had the lowest mean depression score ( M = 9.98, SD = 5.91, range = 40 to 0 ) . Significant differences were found in depression scores by income levels (PSnpao = 2.64, p < .04); women with annual incomes of $10,000 and under had the highest mean depression scores ( M = 13.8, SD = 5.97, range = 40 to O), and women with incomes over $30,000 had the lowest scores ( M = 9.83, SD = 5.97, range = 40 to 0 ) . The established Multiple Affect Adjective Check List depression norm score for adult women in the USA is 11.1. There were significant differences in mastery scores by subjects' educational level (R.3ar = 3.19, p < .01). Women with high school education had higher mean mastery scores ( M = 7.93, SD = 3.66, range = 21 to 0); mastery test has an inverse scale of scoring, indicating the lowest level of perceived control over their lives, and women with college degrees had lower mean mastery scores ( M = 3.75. SD = 3.66, range = 21 to 0 ) . indicating higher perceived control. Significant differences were found in mastery scores by residence (&,jn = 4.68, p < .01); women who lived in small towns had the highest mean mastery score ( M = 6.90, SD = 3.66, range = 21 to 0 ) . whereas farm women reported the lowest mean mastery score ( M = 5.29, SD = 3.66. range = 21 to 0 ) . Pearlin Mastery Scale scores have been defined as: 0 to 2 low (most internal locus of control), 3 to 4 medium-low, 5 to 7 average, 8 to 10 medium-high, 11 to 21 high (most external locus of control). There was a statistically significant relationship between mastery and depression scores. Low control over life was related to high depression (s = .366, p < ,0001 ). These findings support prior research (1, 2, 3) .