GENDER AND MENTAL ILLNESS

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GENDER AND TYPES OF MENTAL ILLNESS
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GENDER DIFFERENCES

• LITTLE DIFFERENCE FOR PSYCHOSES
• MOST VERY GENDER SPECIFIC
• WOMEN 2/3 OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, DISTRESS,
  SUICIDE ATTEMPTS, ALMOST ALL EATING DISORDERS
• MEN 2/3 OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG PROBLEMS, 4X
  SUICIDES, 5X VIOLENCE, ALMOST ALL GAMBLING
• OVERALL RATES EQUAL

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FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENCE

• ARE MALE AND FEMALE EXPRESSIONS OF MENTAL ILLNESS
  FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENTS?
• E.G. EATING DISORDERS AND GAMBLING COMPARABLE
  SEX-TYPED EXPRESSIONS?
• E.G. DEPRESSION AND ALCOHOLISM

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REASONS

• CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS ABOUT GENDER ROLES
• WOMEN INTERNALIZE
• WOMEN EXPECTED NOT TO EXTERNALIZE
• MEN EXTERNALIZE
• MEN EXPECTED NOT TO INTERNALIZE

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FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENCE

• EXPECT AFTER STRESSFUL EVENTS WOMENS DEPRESSION,
  BUT NOT ALCOHOL USE, GOES UP
• MENS ALCOHOL USE BUT NOT DEPRESSION GOES UP
• LITTLE EVIDENCE, THOUGH

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IMPLICATIONS

• SHOULD USE MULTIPLE OUTCOMES TYPICAL OF EACH SEX
• WHEN HAVE BOTH MALE AND FEMALE OUTCOMES, FEWER
  DIFFERENCES IN MENTAL HEALTH

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GENDER AND TREATMENT
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TREATMENT DIFFERENCES

• WOMEN ABOUT 2/3 OF OUTPATIENTS
• MEN ABOUT 60 OF INPATIENTS

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INPATIENT TREATMENT

• MEN MORE LIKELY THAN WOMEN TO BE INPATIENTS
• MENS SYMPTOMS MORE TROUBLESOME AND VIOLENT
• MEN DELAY TREATMENT
• MENS TREATMENT OFTEN INVOLUNTARY

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OUTPATIENT TREATMENT

• WOMEN MORE LIKELY TO DEFINE SELVES AS HAVING
  PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS
• WOMEN MORE LIKELY TO SEEK MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT
• WOMEN MORE LIKELY TO REMAIN IN TREATMENT -
  PATIENT ROLE

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SUMMARY

• ROLES AND EXPECTATIONS, AS WELL AS PERSONS, ARE
  IMPORTANT
• TO SOME EXTENT, SIMILAR ROLES MEAN SIMILAR RATES
  OF MENTAL ILLNESS

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TYPES

• DO MEN AND WOMEN HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF M.I.?
• YES, WOMEN MORE LIKELY TO BE DEPRESSED AND
  ANXIOUS, MEN TO DRINK AND BECOME VIOLENT

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TREATMENT

• MEN HAVE MORE INPATIENT, WOMEN HAVE MORE
  OUTPATIENT
• DUE TO GENDER ROLES

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MARITAL STATUS AND MENTAL HEALTH
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RECENT CHANGES

• 1950 MARRIED COUPLES 80 OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS
  2000 50
• 10X GROWTH OF COHABITATION SINCE 1970
• HUGE GROWTH OF DIVORCE IN 1960s-1970s, STABLE
  SINCE THEN

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RECENT TRENDS

• PEOPLE DELAYING MARRIAGE UNTIL LATE 20S
• HUGE GROWTH OF PEOPLE LIVING ALONE NOW 26 OF
  TOTAL
• MARRIAGE WEAKENING?

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THREE QUESTIONS

• HOW IS MARRIAGE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH?
• HOW IS DIVORCE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH?
• ARE MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE DIFFERENT FOR MEN AND
  WOMEN?

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I. TRADITIONAL VIEW

• MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH
• INTERPERSONAL - SOCIAL SUPPORT, EMOTIONAL
  SECURITY, INTIMACY
• SOCIAL INTEGRATION - TIES TO COMMUNITY

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BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE

• ECONOMIC WELL-BEING - MARRIED EARN MORE (WOMEN
  12,000 MEN 7,000)
• HEALTH BEHAVIOR - MARRIED FEWER RISKIER
  BEHAVIORS, MORE HEALTH PROMOTIVE BEHAVIORS

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II. BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE DATED

• CHANGES IN SOCIAL NORMS
• FREEDOM AND AUTONOMY
• STAYING SINGLE AND GETTING DIVORCED NOT
  STIGMATIZED
• RISE OF COHABITATION
• MORE CHILDREN OUT-OF-WEDLOCK - 34 IN U.S.(VS. 5
  IN 1960) 50 IN SCANDANAVIA

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III. FEMINIST VIEW

• ADVANTAGES ONLY FOR MEN
• MARRIAGE SOURCE OF OPPRESSION FOR WOMEN
• ROLE OVERLOAD
• CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE

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EVIDENCE
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MARRIAGE AND DISTRESS

• BOTH MEN AND WOMEN BENEFIT
• MEN BENEFIT MORE
• SELECTION?