Citation

Möller-Leimkühler AM. J. Neurol. Neuroch. Psychiatr. 2010; 11(3): 11-20.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Krause & Pachernegg)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The lifetime prevalence of major depression in women is 2-3 times higher than in men. Does that mean that men have a lower risk for depression or that depression is underdiagnosed in men? This is the central question of the present introduction which demonstrates pathways to depression from male stress vulnerability and stress response to suicide - basing on pathogenic aspects of traditional masculinity. These pathways are characterized by a lack of helpseeking, externalizing stress response patterns typical for men, and by a gender bias in depression diagnostics resulting in a systematic underdiagnosis of depression in men and probably in a promotion of misdiagnoses in terms of alcohol dependence or antisocial personality disorder. Differences of depression in men refer both to risk factors, mainly concerning loss of social status or stressors threatening social status, and symptoms which may differ from prototypical depressive symptoms shown by women ("male depression"). Actual evidence of research on "male depression" is summarized, aspects of the specifity of male depression and gender-related depression therapy are discussed, and implications for clinical practice are derived. Current analyses in depression point to the relevance of the gender approach in research and practice, especially in the case of disorders which are held to be gender-typical.

Language: de

Keywords

masculinity; human; Men; Depression; suicide; male; alcoholism; stress; major depression; review; diagnostic error; psychopathy; Coping with stress; Gender role; Stress vulnerability