Download Chapter 12 Women and Psychological Disorders

Chapter 12
Women and Psychological Disorders
Terminology
Psychological Disorders-emotions, thoughts and behaviors maladaptive,
distressing and different from social norms
Antisocial personality disorder—behaviors that violate rights of others.
Men 3X likely than women
Depression
Major depressive disorder: Characteristics of Depression
1.
Emotional symptoms: feeling sad, gloomy, tearful, guilty, apathetic,
irritable, and unable to experience pleasure.
2.
Cognitive symptoms: thoughts of inadequacy, worthlessness,
helplessness, self-blame, and pessimism; these depressed thoughts
interfere with normal functioning, so that the individual has trouble
concentrating and making decisions.
3.
Behavioral symptoms: decreased ability to do ordinary work,
neglected personal appearance, decreased social contacts, and sleep
disturbance. Many depressed individuals attempt suicide.
4.
Physical symptoms: illnesses such as indigestion, headaches, dizzy
spells, fatigue, and generalized pain. Weight gain or weight loss is
also common.
Explanations for the Gender Difference in Depression
In North America, women are two to three times more likely than men to
experience depression during their lifetime.
Factors No Longer Considered Relevant
Biological Factors—biochemical components, hormonal fluctuations,
genetic factors—2X chromosomes
Differences in Seeking Help—more likely to seek medical help—
incidence depression in general population women more likely
Diagnostic Biases in Therapists
Overdiagnosing Women and Underdiagnosing men—stereotypes
guide clinicians—of men being “tough”. Men may drink excessively
when depressed, so diagnosis missed
General Discrimination Against Women—accomplishments devalued.
Sexist treatment likely to report depression
Discrimination in the Workplace: . Work issues—hire and promote, work
less rewarding and prestigious. Little control over lives
Poverty—social class and well-being linked. Higher depression with
lower economic
Housework—full time homemaker—work undervalued and unstimulating,
cares for others.
Role buffer effect-work and home
Study by Golding (1990) 100 women: housework amounts contributed to household
strain, related to depression
Emphasis on Physical Appearance—adolescence begin excessive concern
about physical appearance. Body changes found to be unappealing
compared to thin fashion models. Dissatisfaction contributes to
depression
Violence—females frequent targets of violence. Child sexual abuse;
sexual harassment; physical abuse, and rape.
Women's Relationships—women give more social support than receive in
marital relationship. Women likely to feel responsible for relationship.
Believe should be more unselfish.
May become overly involved in friends and family members’ lives—may
neglect own needs
Responses to Depression—men and women respond differently when
experience depressed mood.
Ruminative Style: more common in women. contemplate possible
causes and consequences of their emotions. Worry, think about all
things wrong in their life
Distracting Style—think of other things, find other activities when
depressed mood, may help lift person out of depressed mood. Think
more clearly when less depressed
Conclusions About Gender and Depression
Addressing societal inequities—change society, lessen depression
Individual psychological problems occur in a social context—
recognize contributions of society into women’s lives. Poverty, for
example
Eating Disorders and Related Problems—most women preoccupied with their weight.
Thoughts drawn away from social pleasures and professional concerns because focus on
physical appearance and dieting
Anorexia Nervosa—90% female.

extreme fear of becoming obese

refusal to maintain an adequate body weight—85% expected weight
Onset—14-18 yrs old, concerns with body size often begin earlier
Slightly overweight, comment then leads to severe dieting. For others, stressful life
event. Many tend to be overly perfectionistic and eager to please others.
Medical consequences: amenorrhea—cessation of menstruation; heart
lung, kidney, and gastrointestinal disorders; changes in brain structures;
osteoporosis(low levels estrogen and lack of nutrition); death—5–10 % die
Treatment—difficult—also meet criteria for major depression. 40 %
recover; 35% show improvement. When treatment begins in early
stages—recovery more likely
Bulimia Nervosa-90 % female, common in colleges
maintain normal body weight--so difficult to diagnose

frequent episodes of binge eating—secretive, 2-3000 calories at a time

inappropriate methods to prevent weight gain (vomiting, laxatives,
excessive dieting or exercise) between binges.
Obsesses about food, eating and phsical appearance.
Medical consequences—not as life threatening as anorexia, but difficult to
treat, associated with serious medical and psychological problems
gastrointestinal, heart, liver, and metabolism problems
Binge-Eating Disorder

frequent episodes of binge eating

not followed by use of inappropriate methods to compensate for binges

typically overweight
Summary/Review
1.
People with anorexia nervosa refuse to maintain appropriate body
weight, so they are dangerously thin.
2.
People with bulimia nervosa maintain normal body weight, but they
have frequent episodes of binge eating; they typically use
inappropriate methods to prevent weight gain.
3.
People with binge-eating disorder have frequent episodes of binge
eating, but they do not use inappropriate methods to prevent weight
gain; they are typically overweight.
The Culture of Slimness: concern with being overweight—N. American females
Media Images—media emphasize weight consciousness and dieting.
Study by Malkin (1999) 78% of covers on women magazines contained
weight loss message, physical appearance info. None found on men
magazine covers. Fashion models underweight, look anorexic.
Girls who frequently read fashion magazines likely to be especially dissatisfied with own
bodies. Women feel worse after shown photographs or TV ads featuring slender models,
rather than neutral images.
Discrimination Against Overweight Women—given lower salaries and
experience other forms job discrimination. Less likely to be viewed as
sexually attractive and less likely to marry.
First graders report would rather be friends with slender child than heavier one.
Females' Dissatisfaction with Their Bodies—emaciated women are the
ideal—many females unhappy about own bodies.
Women of Color, Body Image, and Slimness—Black women more
satisfied with body image than European American women.
Mixed results in Latina women—some less preoccupied with slimness
Being Overweight and Dieting
Being overweight is not classified as a mental disorder
Health risks
Dieting
Change in metabolism
Accepting one's own body
Strategies
Consumer activism
Acceptance of a greater range of body sizes