A. Speca, M. Pasquini, A. Picardi, P. Gaetano, M. Biondi, P. Pancheri- Vol. 5, Dicembre 1999, num.4
Testo Immagini Bibliografia Summary Riassunto Indice
Differenze di psicopatologia di genere
nei disturbi depressivi
e nei disturbi d’ansia: uno studio su 507 casi
Gender-related psychopathological differences in depressive
and anxiety disorders: a study on 507 cases
Summary
Objective and background: sexual brain dimorphism, besides resulting in psychological differences between the two sexes, could influence the expression of psychopathology. The aim of this study was to evidentiate the existence of gender-related psychopathological differences in a sample of patients with mood and anxiety disorders. We decided to adopt a dimensional approach, due to the inability of a category approach in classifying psychopathological phenomena.
Methods: we carried-out a longitudinal investigation on a sample of 507 patients (197 men and 310 women). We selected on the basis of DSM-IV diagnostic categories, i.e., 347 patients with mood disorders and 160 patients with anxiety disorders. The sample was subsequently subdivided according to age range (under and over 40 years of age and 45-55 years, a period corresponding to female climacterium). The assessment tool was the SVARAD (Scale for Rapid Dimensional Assessment).
Results: significant differences emerged on four of the ten dimensions investigated by the SVARAD: Impulsiveness, Sadness/Demoralisation, Apprehension/Fear, Somatic Preoccupation/Somatisation. Men over 40 years with anxiety disorders scored higher on the Impulsiveness dimension and the same tendency was apparent at a trend level also in the mood disorders sub-sample. Women with anxiety disorders, both under and over 40 years of age scored higher on the Sadness/Demoralisation dimension. In the total sample and in the subgroup of patients over 40 years, women with anxiety disorders scored higher on the Apprehension/Fear dimension, and at a trend level, the same tendency was apparent in women with mood disorders. Men scored higher on the Somatic Preoccupation/Somatisation dimension only at a trend level in both diagnostic subgroups.
Conclusions: women with neurotic disorders show a greater tendency towards inner working-through of experience, whereas men tend to work-through more outwardly.