Gender Differences in the Prevalence of Depression: Artefact, Alternative Disorders, Biology or Roles?

Abstract

Women’s greater risk of depression is one of the most consistent findings in psychiatric epidemiology. However, the explanation for this difference remains contested. Here possible explanations were tested using a sample of couples where, because they had experienced a life event that was severe for both members, both the woman and man were at risk of depression. There was no evidence to suggest that the higher range of depression among women in this sample was the result of a measurement artefact. In addition, men were not more likely to develop alternative, externalising, disorders to depression. If anything, women were more likely to experience and express anger about the life event. Consistent with an explanation based on gender differences in roles, women were only at greater risk of depression following an event involving children, housing and reproduction, and then only when there were clear gender differences in associated roles. Such a specific difference cannot be explained easily as a result of biological differences, particularly as among women rates of depression did not vary by parity. In conclusion it seems likely that women’s greater risk of depression is a consequence of gender differences in roles, which lead to differences in the experience of life events.