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Gender Differences in Depression: The Role Played by Paternal Attitudes of Male Superiority and Maternal Modeling of Gender-Related Limitations

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Abstract

A reanalysis of a large multi-generational,predominantly Caucasian sample of adults found a largegender difference in self-reported depression involvinganxiety, appetite and sleep disturbance, and fatigue (“anxious somatic depression”) butnot in “pure depression” unaccompanied bymany of these other symptoms, replicating earlierfindings on high school and college samples. Anxioussomatic depression was prevalent among women whosefathers reported attitudes of male superiority and amongwomen whose mothers reported emphasizing the importanceof professional success but feeling that the jobs they held were not respected by others. Anxioussomatic depression, but not pure depression, was foundto be prevalent among women who did not attend collegeand among those who attended college but felt that the jobs they held were not respected byothers.

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Silverstein, B., Lynch, A.D. Gender Differences in Depression: The Role Played by Paternal Attitudes of Male Superiority and Maternal Modeling of Gender-Related Limitations. Sex Roles 38, 539–555 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018774225485

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