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Masculinity, femininity, life stress, and depression

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Abstract

This study explored the effects of masculinity, femininity, and life stress on depression. Four hundred and two subjects (266 females and 136 males) completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory, the Life Experiences Survey, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results of a regression analysis indicated significant effects of life stress, masculinity, and femininity on depression. Although masculinity and, to a lesser extent, femininity, were significant predictors of depression, life stress accounted for a substantially greater proportion of the variance. The implications of the results are discussed with respect to the role of masculinity and femininity as susceptibility factors in depression associated with stressful life experiences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, University of New Brunswick, Bag Service #45444, E3B 6E4, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

    Janet M. Stoppard & Kim J. Paisley

Authors
  1. Janet M. Stoppard
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  2. Kim J. Paisley
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Additional information

The research described in this article is based on the second author's masters thesis submitted to the Department of Psychology at the University of New Brunswick.

This research was partially supported by a grant from the University of New Brunswick Research Fund and by a Leave Fellowship (#451-85-0900) from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada awarded to the first author.

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Stoppard, J.M., Paisley, K.J. Masculinity, femininity, life stress, and depression. Sex Roles 16, 489–496 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00292483

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