Sex Differences in Adolescent Depression and Loneliness: Why Are Boys Lonelier if Girls Are More Depressed?

Abstract

Depression and loneliness are two characteristic problems of adolescence. However, beginning in adolescence, girls experience depression at twice the rate of boys. Since depression and loneliness are highly correlated, it is surprising that girls are not also lonelier than boys. In fact, when gender differences do emerge, it is boys, not girls, who tend to be lonelier. We examined two possible explanations for this paradox: (1) a gender-specific response bias, characterized by a denial of emotional distress for boys that differentially affects reports of depression versus loneliness, and (2) gender differences in the relationship between depression and loneliness, whereby depression has a greater association with loneliness for boys than girls. Support was obtained for explanation two. Although there were no gender differences in loneliness among the nondepressed or the highly depressed, mildly depressed boys were significantly lonelier than mildly depressed girls and just as lonely as highly depressed boys. This depression/loneliness distinction for mildly depressed girls may be magnified by the large number of female depressives (65% in this sample) who fall into the mildly depressed range. Girls were also more likely than boys to report turning to their friends when feeling depressed, and results are discussed in terms of coping processes that may subserve the distinction between depression and loneliness.