Gender differences in depression: the role of personality factors (original) (raw)
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Psychiatria Danubina, 2020
Background: In order to explore whether gender differences are present in self-reports on personality measures when all Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) participants are diagnosed at an equal intensity, the aim of this study was to investigate individual and gender differences in personality between healthy participants and those suffering from severe feature MDD. Subjects and methods: The sample consisted of 632 participants: 385 in the healthy control group and 247 MDD, the latter comprised of patients in their first diagnosed episode or recurrent. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) was used to measure symptom severity. Beck's Depression Inventory was administered when depression symptoms had lessened, establishing it as minor when filling out the personality questionnaire (NEO-PI-R). Results: The results indicate a broad difference in personality between the healthy control and the MDD groups. High neuroticism and low extraversion, accompanied by low scores on openness and conscientiousness, were the most important personality dimensions in understanding distinctions. While agreeableness did not indicate any important role, it did significantly influence the understanding of gender differences within groups. Females were found more agreeable in both groups, but those from the healthy group were also more open and conscientiousness than healthy males. Females from the MDD group were found to be also higher on neuroticism than males of the same group. Conclusions: A general conclusion from the study is that personality dimensions are more important in understanding vulnerability to depression in comparison to gender differences in personality within groups. As females in the MDD group tend to self-report higher levels of agreeableness and neuroticism than do males in the same group when the level of their depression is categorized as equal MDD-severe type, this may influence practitioners to unequally diagnose depression in males and females.
Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 2012
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between personality and depression in a general population in relation to gender and age. The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (2006-2008), a large cross-sectional survey, was used. The sample consists of 35,832 men (16,104) and women (19,728) aged 20-89 years, living in the Nord-Trøndelag County of Norway, with valid ratings on the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). This study demonstrates a relationship between depression and both neuroticism and extraversion in a general population. Older people score low more often on Extraversion (E) than younger people. Interactions were observed between neuroticism and age, gender, and extraversion with depression. The interaction term indicates a high score on Neuroticism (N) enhanced by introversion, older age, and being a male with depression. The findings suggest that health professionals may need to put extra effort into the care of patients with low extraversion and high neuroticism, in order to help those patients avoid depression. Personality predicts important life outcomes, especially at an individual level; people who are emotionally and socially stable, and those involved in their communities are at a significantly lower risk for poor physical and psychological health and early death (Friedman, 2008; Ozer & Benet-Marínez, 2006). Extraversion and neuroticism are two major dimensions of personality, defined as a group of correlated traits.
Neuroticism and Openness the Experience Factors and the Predictions of Females Depression Levels
Abstract The purpose of the study is to put forth effect of neuroticism and openness factors on the level of depression of females and the study was conducted with 2816 participants. The work was done on a busy street in Kızılay. It was used to be used from two scales and one profile questionnaire in the study to collect data and the scales are Big Five Personality Test and Beck Depression Test. The data obtained in the study was used to be analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 program with regression analysis. At the end of the analyses, our hypothesis was confirmed. As expected positively association have emerged among the depression and Neuroticism and also Openness to Experience. High depression was predicted by high Neuroticism and Openness to Experience. Keywords: Depression; Neuroticism; Openness to Experience; Big Five; Personality
Gender Differences in Neuroticism on College Students
2016
The main goals of this research are to find out the differences of neurotic levels between man and women and to find the relation between age and neuroticism personality. There were 51 students of Department of Psychology of the Malang Muhammadiyah University participated in this research. They were taken through cluster random sampling. The neuroticism personality scale was used and arranged based on theory [1]. There were significant differences between male and female neuroticism personality (t-test = 2.138, df =49, P<0.05) where males’ neuroticism usually lower than females. (Mean=111.833 for males and Mean=127.303 for females ). The research results also showed there was significantly negative correlation between ages and neuroticism personality (rxy= .340, P<0.05). The younger the students the higher their neuroticism personality level and it’s getting lower when the students are older.
Personality and depression in women
Journal of Affective Disorders, 2003
Personality disorders and traits should be assessed in studies concerned with the etiology and treatment of depression in women. There has been a considerable amount of research concerned with the effect of personality functioning on the etiology and treatment of depression, and much of this research has concerned personality traits and disorders for which significant gender differences and issues apply. The importance of personality functioning, and the particular relevance to women and gender-related issues, is illustrated in this paper with regard to dependent personality disorder and dependent personality traits. Implications for future research on the etiology and treatment of depression in women are provided.
Women and Vulnerability to Depression: Some Personality and Clinical Factors
The purpose of this study is to explore the role of sex differences and personality in vulnerability to depression. Sex differences in personality and some clinical variables are described. We also assess the value of the variables that revealed significant sex differences as predictors of vulnerability to depression. In a group of adult participants (N = 112), 50% males and 50% females (mean age = 41.30; SD = 15.09; range 17-67), we studied sex differences in the three-factor personality model, using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Form A (EPQ-A; Eysenck & Eysenck, 1975), and in the Five-Factor Personality Model, with the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI; Costa & McCrae, 1985).. Subsequently, simple linear regression analysis, with BDI scores as criterion, were performed to estimate the value of the variables as predictors of vulnerability to depression. The results indicate that a series of personality variables cause women to be more vulnerable to depression than men and that these variables could be explained by a negative emotion main factor. Results are discussed within the framework of the psychological behaviorism theory of depression. En este trabajo se examinó el papel de las diferencias del sexo y de la personalidad en la vulnerabilidad a la depresión. Se describen las diferencias entre sexos en personalidad y en algunas variables clínicas para, posteriormente, analizar el papal de las variables que muestran diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los sexos, como predictoras de la vulnerabilidad a la depresión. Para cumplir con este objetivo, se exploraron extensamente esas diferencias en dos grandes modelos de la personalidad y en algunas escalas clínicas. Nuestros datos se obtuvieron de un grupo de adultos (N = 112), 50% hombres y 50% mujeres (media de edad = 41.30; SD = 15.09; rango 17-67). Se estudiaron las diferencias entre mujeres y hombres respecto al modelo de 3 factores, utilizando el Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Form A (EPQ; Eysenck & Eysenck, 1975; versión española de TEA, 1986), y el modelo de 5 factores (NEO Personality Inventory-NEO-PI; Costa & McCrae, 1985). Se aplicaron también algunas escalas clínicas: Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck et al., 1979), Schizotypy Questionnaire (STQ; Claridge & Broks, 1984; versión española de Carrillo y Rojo, 1999), THARL scales (Dua, 1989, 1990; versión española de Dua y Carrillo, 1994), y The Adjustment Inventory (Bell, 1937; versión española: Cuestionario de adaptación para adultos, Cerdá, 1980). Tras estudiar las diferencias según el sexo respecto a estos factores, se estimó su valor de vulnerabilidad a la depresión mediante análisis de regresión lineal simple, siendo la escala BDI de Beck el criterio de depresión. Los resultados mostraron que existe un conjunto de variables que hacen a las mujeres más vulnerables a la depresión que a los hombres. Estas variables podrían explicarse a partir de un factor principal de emocionalidad negativa. Se discuten los resultados en el contexto de la teoría del conductismo psicológico de la depresión. Palabras clave: depresión en la mujer, personalidad, vulnerabilidad, diferencias según el sexo, teoría conductual de la depresión
The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences, 2015
Neuroticism may have great impact on mental and physical health in both sexes. The aims of this study were to explore whether relationships between neuroticism scores and psychosocial indicators as well as metabolic syndrome in a population of incoming university students existed in the different sexes. In total, 4266 incoming students were included in this study. The test battery comprised a self-administered structured questionnaire, including the neuroticism subscale of the Maudsley Personality Inventory, the 12-item Chinese Health Questionnaire, the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale-Revision, the measurement of support functions, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Multivariate logistic regression showed that higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores, higher Chinese Internet Addiction Scale-Revision scores, and higher 12-item Chinese Health Questionnaire scores were significantly correlated with neuroticism in both sexes, but lower perceived routine support: measurement of support
Personality Traits and Changes in Depression Symptoms in Female University Students
CEPS Journal, 2021
The present study aimed to investigate the course of symptoms of depression in female university students over a four-year period, while also exploring the predictive value of four personality traits with regard to symptoms of depression. The sample comprised 74 female first-year university students. Symptoms of depression were assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and were collected twice over a four-year interval, while the personality traits of extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism and lie tendencies were assessed by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire only at the baseline. The results revealed that after a four-year period the depression symptoms increased in intensity/frequency on 10 out of 20 items as well as in the summary score, and decreased only in diurnal variations, which wasfavourable outcome. Multiple regression analysis indicated that out of the four personality traits only neuroticism was a significant predictor of the summary depression score four years later. This means that young female students with higher scores in neuroticism, although still in the normal or average range, would very probably have a more pronounced and less well-regulated emotional response to a stressful period of their university education.
Neuroticism, depression, and depression proneness
Personality and Individual Differences, 1995
The relationship between EPQ dimensions, proneness to depression and severity of depressive symptoms was examined in a sample of university students. The results suggest that Neuroticism is related to mood variation reflecting current depressive symptoms and depression vulnerability within nonclinical groups.
Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 2008
To examine the implications of the association between personality and depression for the understanding, assessment, and treatment of major depression. A broad range of peer-reviewed manuscripts relevant to personality and depression was reviewed. Particular emphasis was placed on etiology, stability, diagnosis, and treatment implications. Personality features in depressed samples reliably differ from those of healthy samples. The associations between personality and depression are consistent with a variety of causal models; these models can best be compared through longitudinal research. Research demonstrates that attention to personality features can be useful in diagnosis and treatment. Indeed, personality information has been on the forefront of recent efforts to advance the current diagnostic classification system. Moreover, personality dimensions have shown recent promise in the prediction of differential treatment outcome. For example, neuroticism is associated with preferent...