Cultural pattern of depression in Iranian students with an emphasis on gender and marital status

Cultural pattern of depression in Iranian students with an emphasis on gender and marital status

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

Regarding uncertain boundaries between mental disorders, co-morbidity as well as claims on their cross-culturality, this research attempts to answer this question that whether depression disorder in Iran is a single disorder or it has various patterns that have been emerged from a co-morbidity with other disorders. What are the symptoms of the prediction of depression disorder in the academic community of Iran? Can sex affect the disease in several ways? Through using empirical method, the present research studies clinical patterns of depression in the Iranian student population and deals with this problem that to what extent the gender pattern of depression is congruent with global statistics. The research community includes the studying and sample students of Tehran universities that have been selected randomly, assessed by SCL-90-R and MMPI-2 questionnaires and analyzed by multiple regressions. Findings show depression in Iranian students is recognizable and evaluable on the basis of five basic components and SCL-90-R factors play an appropriate predictive role in depression. Three different types of depression patterns were identified that play a dominant role in the formation of depression. The rate of depression in female students is more than that of men and is more affected by the sensitivity to interpersonal relationships. Women's score was higher in physical complaints, anxiety, depression, aggression, phobia, sensitivity to interpersonal relationships, and mutual thoughts; there was no observed difference in obsession and psychosis. These findings confirm the conclusion that depression is a disorder that has a co-morbidity with other disorders. In addition, the present study shows there is no difference between married and single people except for anxiety factor. And those components of Iranian culture that affect depression disorder include sexual and gender differences, social class, and the impact of marriage on the family and social system.

Keywords

depression

depression disorder

sexl and gender differences

marital status

culture

20.1001.1.25887211.1396.1.1.2.9

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