The Psychology of Gender 4th Edition

Mental Health 539

more frequently than men. Substance abuse,

depression, and impaired social relations

all play a role in suicidal behavior among

adolescents and adults.

The last mental health problem

reviewed was suicide. Men commit suicide

more frequently than women at all ages

and across most cultures, but women

contemplate suicide and attempt suicide

1. Which methodological bias do you
   believe is most likely to undermine
   sex differences in depression?


2. What kind of experiences during
   childhood, adolescence, and
   adulthood do females face
   compared to males that might
   instill learned helplessness?


3. Debate the following statement:
   Men engage in problem-focused
   coping and women engage in
   emotion-focused coping.


4. Explain how rumination leads to
   depression.


5. What is the difference between the
   differential exposure and the dif-
   ferential vulnerability hypotheses
   concerning the relation of stressful
   events to depression?


6. Which aspects of gender roles are
   related to depression?
   7. What are some of the reasons that
   sex differences in depression emerge
   during adolescence?
   8. Describe the aspects of the male
   gender role and the female gender
   role that hinder and facilitate
   adjustment to chronic illness.
   9. Considering the traits of agency and
   communion, characterize the couple
   that would adapt the best to chronic
   illness.


7. How does society contribute to the
   development of eating disorders in
   women? In men?


8. Discuss how the difficulties in docu-
   menting suicide rates and suicide at-
   tempts might alter the sex difference
   in suicide and suicide attempts.


9. What social factors are associated
   with suicide in females and males?

Discussion Questions

Groesz, L. M., Levine, M. P., & Murnen,

S. K. (2002). The effect of experimental

presentation of thin media images on

body satisfaction: A meta-analytic review.

International Journal of Eating Disorders,

31 , 1–16.

Helgeson, V. S., & Fritz, H. L. (1998). A theory

of unmitigated communion.Personality

and Social Psychology Review, 2, 173–183.

Hughes, T. L., Smith, C., & Dan, A. (Eds.).

(2003).Mental health issues for sexual

minority women: Redefining women’s mental

health. New York: Harrington Park Press.

Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Hilt, L. M. (2009).

Handbook of depression in adolescents.

New York: Routledge.

Payne, S., Swami, V., & Stanistreet, D.

(2008). The social construction of gender

Suggested Reading

M13_HELG0185_04_SE_C13.indd 539 6/21/11 12:55 PM