Androgynous individuals are less likely to suffer depression while undifferentiated individuals are more susceptible to depression; masculinity traits seem to be a robust protective factor for depression regardless of gender

Does gender role explain a high risk of depression? A meta-analytic review of 40 years of evidence. Jingyuan Lin et al. Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume 294, Nov 1 2021, Pages 261-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.018

Highlights

• Androgynous individuals are less likely to suffer depression while undifferentiated individuals are more susceptible to depression.

• Masculinity traits seem to be a robust protective factor for depression regardless of gender. Of note, the dominance of masculinity has declined as life expectancy increases.

• The protective effect of femininity against depression starts to emerge with the gradual increase in educational attainment and income level from 1990 to 2019.

Abstract

Background: This meta-analytic review aimed to systematically evaluate associations of depression with multiple gender role dimensions (masculinity, femininity, androgyny, and undifferentiated traits) and to determine potential moderators (participant characteristics, study instruments and sociocultural factors) of the relationship.

Methods: Of 4481 initially identified records in three electronic databases, 58 studies published 1978 to 2021 were included for meta-analysis.

Results: (1) Association of depression and gender role is moderated by study year and human development indices. (2) Masculinity is a protective factor for depression, while this dominance has declined as life expectancy increases. (3) A negative, weak but significant association between depression and femininity is observed in women, and college students, which starts to emerge with the gradual increase in the national education and income index from 1990 to 2019. (4) Androgynous individuals reported the lowest level of depression as compared with other gender role orientations (masculine, feminine, and undifferentiated trait group). This disparity is becoming more extreme with life expectancy and per capita income index increases.

Limitations: English-language studies were only included in this review.

Conclusions: Androgyny might be the most ideal gender role protecting both women and men from depression.

Keywords: DepressionGender roleMasculinityFemininityAndrogynyHuman development index

Popular version: Masculinity may have a protective effect against the development of depression -- even for women (psypost.org)