Gender Differences in Dysfunctional Attitudes in Major Depressive Disorder.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Dysfunctional attitudes are crucial in depression development and prognosis.
• Gender influences major depressive disorder (MDD) clinical features.
• Investigating gender differences in dysfunctional attitudes in MDD is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine gender differences in dysfunctional attitudes among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).
• To identify specific dysfunctional attitude factors that differ between genders in MDD.
• To explore the relationship between dysfunctional attitudes and demographic/clinical variables in MDD.

Main Methods:

• 172 MDD patients and 159 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited.
• Dysfunctional attitudes assessed using the Chinese version of the dysfunctional attitude scale-form A (C-DAS-A).
• Factorial ANOVA and multiple linear regression analyses were employed, controlling for age, education, and BMI.

Main Results:

• MDD patients showed significantly higher C-DAS-A scores than HCs.
• Female MDD patients scored higher on total C-DAS-A and specific factors (seeking applause, dependence, self-determination).
• Gender was the strongest predictor of C-DAS-A scores in MDD patients.

Conclusions:

• Female MDD patients may experience more severe cognitive distortions related to seeking applause, dependence, and self-determination.
• Findings support the need for gender-specific psychosocial interventions for MDD.
• Cognitive distortions in MDD vary significantly by gender.