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

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

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

FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENCE EXPECT AFTER STRESSFUL EVENTS WOMEN’S DEPRESSION, BUT NOT ALCOHOL USE, GOES UP MEN’S ALCOHOL USE BUT NOT DEPRESSION GOES UP LITTLE EVIDENCE, THOUGH

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

TREATMENT DIFFERENCES WOMEN ABOUT 2/3 OF OUTPATIENTS MEN ABOUT 60% OF INPATIENTS

INPATIENT TREATMENT MEN MORE LIKELY THAN WOMEN TO BE INPATIENTS MEN’S SYMPTOMS MORE TROUBLESOME AND VIOLENT MEN DELAY TREATMENT MEN’S TREATMENT OFTEN INVOLUNTARY

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

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

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

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

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

RECENT TRENDS PEOPLE DELAYING MARRIAGE UNTIL LATE 20’S HUGE GROWTH OF PEOPLE LIVING ALONE – NOW 26% OF TOTAL MARRIAGE WEAKENING?

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?

I. TRADITIONAL VIEW MARRIAGE IS GOOD FOR MENTAL HEALTH INTERPERSONAL - SOCIAL SUPPORT, EMOTIONAL SECURITY, INTIMACY SOCIAL INTEGRATION - TIES TO COMMUNITY

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

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

III. FEMINIST VIEW ADVANTAGES ONLY FOR MEN MARRIAGE SOURCE OF OPPRESSION FOR WOMEN ROLE OVERLOAD CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE

MARRIAGE AND DISTRESS BOTH MEN AND WOMEN BENEFIT MEN BENEFIT MORE SELECTION?