Tag Archives: Stigma

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***Note: The main headings of the sections will eventually be titled but are being used for me to stay organized when developing my paper. Also, the sections of the body are going to be much more extensive and probably rearranged but as a draft I have been working at different sections as different times when the ideas spark.

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Abstract:

 This paper will examine how gender contributes to an individual’s acceptance of their mental illness, specifically depression. Through Erving Goffman’s contributions to Labeling Theory, I will evaluate how one’s gender contributes to their acceptance of not only their mental illness, but possibly their openness to seeking help. In regard to acceptance, stigma is often associated with depression, preventing those experiencing depression from accepting themselves and feeling accepted by others. Stigma impacts an individual’s willingness to try to mask depression or to seek assistance. This paper will then examine the connections between depression, gender, and stigma in hopes of understanding where there may be a gap in the research.

 

Introduction:

 Thesis: Gender differences and the stigma associated with these differences contribute to an individual’s acceptance of and willingness to get help for their mental illness, specifically depression.

Depression has been studied in many forms and throughout many fields of study. It is a complex mental illness that is constantly trying to be understood by researchers and professionals alike. In the field of sociology, Labeling Theory has been used to help understand self-identity. Further research by Erving Goffman looked further into this theory in regards to the idea of stigma and how it can impact one’s self-identity. This research brought me to some of the questions this paper will explore such as; does stigma differ by gender? Does stigma about mental illness affect how someone with depression will see and accept themselves? Does stigma prevent people experiencing depression from seeking professional help or treatment?

For the purposes of this paper it is important to define the terms that will be used as variables in the research. The definition of depression comes from the National Institute of Mental Health and states that “Depression is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working.” Due to the lack of research in terms of those who identify as a non-binary gender, this paper will use the Oxford Dictionary definition on gender which states “The state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones.” In terms of stigma this paper will discuss stigma in terms of the theoretical definition from Erving Goffman who said that stigma is “an attribute that is deeply discrediting.” This definition of stigma, although broad, is able to encompass the many ways in which stigma may be experience by those who face depression.

 

Literature Review:

 Depression can be very complex to study because it knows no bounds of gender, sex, race, class or other demographics so because of this it can be hard to generalize it within research. According to the World Health Organization depression is the most “debilitating and costly mental illnesses worldwide” (Genuchi & Mitsunaga, 2015). That fact alone demonstrates how important it is to learn more about depression, who it affects and how it affects them. Furthermore, it is important to understand what some of the past research has found as a way to direct this case study.

 Past research on gender and depression:

One researcher found that overall women will experience depression twice as often as men (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001). However, another study found that when it comes to depression, males are less likely to receive sympathy from those around them (Wirth & Bodenhausen, 2009). This isn’t that surprising when considering that many times society sees females as more emotional and when males are emotional our society tends to think they shouldn’t show their true feelings. This is a big problem when it comes to depression because there is not a sense of equality for the way depression is handled between males and females.

 Past research on gender and stigma:

 One particular study on this topic focused specifically on teens experiencing stigma and their reactions to it. This is important in understanding that many times stigma will start at an early age. There were three key points to this study, the first one being that teen girls more so than teen boys had a higher likelihood of talking to a friend for help (Chandra & Minkovitz, 2005). However, the boys in the study were more likely to go to someone in their immediate family for help (Chandra &Minkovitz, 2005). Perhaps the most important finding though of this study is that the boys experienced a much higher rate of mental health stigma (Chandra & Minkovitz, 2005). This stigma caused what the study referred to as barriers and had a large impact on whether or not the boys in the study were open and willing to seek either professional help or help from a friend or school staff member (Chandra & Minkovitz, 2005). This study’s results are crucial in understanding the impact that stigma can have on those experiencing depression. When stigma starts at an early age, there is likelihood it will continue on into adulthood. One study done with a selection of the general adult population in Germany found that the biggest response as to why one would not seek help for depression was the fear of discrimination that would come from it (Schomerus, Matschinger, & Angermeyer, 2009). In other words, these participants were getting at the idea of being fearful of the stigma.

Stigma is a common theme that is embedded in much of the research when it comes to depression and Erving Goffman’s contributions to Labeling Theory will be a helpful lens in explaining why stigma has an impact on one’s self-identity and the consequences that come from this. The past research and Goffman’s lens will help to link the ideas of depression, gender, and stigma together and demonstrate why it is important to look at these factors at once.

 

Methodology:

 For the purposes of this paper the method used will be a case study approach. A case study allows for an evaluation of where the research has been and where it is going in order to see where the gap in the research lays. Furthermore, a case study is beneficial in allowing me to highlight the various parts to my thesis which are stigma, gender, and depression in order to make connections and form new ideas.

 

Body:

 History of stigma:

 According to Goffman, the idea of stigma came from the Greek people who would put signs on people’s bodies to expose them in some way (1963). These signs would demonstrate certain labels such as whether someone was a slave or a criminal (Goffman, 1963). Today though, we use stigma as a way to categorize people in terms of social situations (Goffman, 1963). Goffman categorizes stigma into three categories and when using this method, the stigma that comes along with depression would be under the category he labels as stigma revolving around individual character (1963). In this case, those with depression are made to feel like they are weak in a way that unnatural (Goffman, 1963). This is problematic because our society has a tendency to put people into boxes that we think they belong in, with no consideration as to how it could impact the person being categorized emotionally. This then puts the stigmatized individual in a position where they may feel the need to defend themselves or respond in a way that shows that they are different then how they were categorized (Goffman, 1963).

Importance of looking at stigma within this research:

 When studying depression is it essential to understand the stigma that comes along with it because as mentioned before, this can have an impact on whether or not a person is willing to seek treatment or accept themselves. Two researchers credit Goffman for introducing the importance of this idea in that stigma discredits the individual “from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one” (Link & Phelan, 2013). Goffman’s work seeks to move towards a way to manage this stigma for those experiencing it (1963). The importance here is not only managing the stigma but understanding that it plays a significant role in reducing the number of people willing to seek treatment for depression (Chandra & Minkovitz, 2005, Schomerus et al., 2009). The amount of perceived stigma that individuals think they will undergo is significant in their willingness to seek help (Chandra & Minkovitz, 2005). Although this differs a bit by gender which will be discussed later, it is still an important fact to note. The dangers of stigma preventing mental health treatment have the potential to be very dangerous to those who are experiencing depression. In the same work presented by.

Gender and stigma:

 As mentioned above, stigma also differs when it comes to the binary genders of male and female. In the work presented by Chandra and Minkovitz, girls were more likely to consider seeking professional help as a sign of strength (2005). This finding lines up with the typical view in society that boys/males are weak if they show their true emotions. Boys in this study also had more negative attitudes toward seeking professional help due to the associated stigmas that come along with doing so (Chandra & Minkovitz, 2005). According to Gagné, Vasiliadis, & Préville, approximately half of people who are experiencing depression will not seek help (2014). In one study the results showed that men were more likely to conceal that they were experiencing depression rather that share this information (Burke, Wang, & Dovidio, 2014). It was also discussed that for those who do decide to disclose what they are going through, they are more likely to face what the study refers to as prejudicial attitudes from others which is in line with the idea of stigma (Burke et al., 2014).

Gender differences of experiencing depression:

 As with stigma, depression in general often varies between the binary division of males and females. Depression is much more common in women so much so that one research presents that whereas 21.3 percent of women are likely to be diagnosed in their lifetime, only 12.7 percent of men will be diagnosed (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001). By the time that girls are 13 years old it is said that their rates of depression begin to increase up until late adolescence which marks the point when rates double as far as likelihood to experience depression (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001). There is current research however from both perspectives of binary gender categories and what makes each gender more or less likely to experience depression. When it comes to females, two things they may face that increase their likelihood of depression are the pressure of gender roles and the idea of self-concept (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001). As far as gender roles, adolescent girls tend to feel that they can only pursue certain activities and opportunities that are normally considered for their gender in fear of feeling rejected (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001). With the idea of self-concept, girls tend to be more engrossed in the idea of looking their best and test to succumb to more criticism and the need to be perfect (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2001). When it comes to the male gender, an article from the Journal of Men’s Studies also stresses that depression rates in males as well can be affected by the perceived ideas of gender roles (Genuchi & Mitsunaga, 2015). This is understandable when considering that in society men are socialized to act tough at all times. This article also found that when it comes to depression, men will display their experiences with depression differently which can many times mask the underlying depression (Genuchi & Mitsunaga, 2015). Whereas women were found to internally display symptoms of depression in terms of how they were feeling, men were more likely to display things such as anger, substance abuse, and a higher sex drive (Genuchi & Mitsunaga, 2015). The ways in which men were seen to externalize depression do not seem likely to show that they are experiencing depression. The ways in which men displayed their struggle with depression in this study was referred to by Genuchi and Mitsunaga as atypical (2015).

Exploring the connections between gender, stigma, and depression:

Annotated Bibliography-Preliminary Sources

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Burke, S. E., Wang, K., & Dovidio, J. F. (2014). Witnessing disclosure of depression: Gender and attachment avoidance moderate interpersonal evaluations. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 33(6), 536-559.

This article will address how different people from different demographics are likely to respond to depression and whether or not they feel comfortable to admit to struggling. Specifically this article will discuss depression and what factors within gender play a role in how a person will respond to their depression. This study addresses my theoretical framework which relates to the idea of stigma.

For my research this article will help to demonstrate how complex it is to understand who is or is not willing to admit to having depression and why there is so much variation. With a specific focus on gender, this will help me in learning more about my specific thesis about how people of different gender handle depression in different ways.

 

Gagné, S., Vasiliadis, H., & Préville, M. (2014). Gender differences in general and specialty outpatient mental health service use for depression. BMC Psychiatry, 14(1), 1-21.

 

This study specifically focuses on how characteristics of gender affect whether or not a person will reach out and seek service from mental health professionals. This study’s data found that those who identified as male were more likely to seek both a mental health professional as well as their primary doctor. On the other hand, females were shown to be more likely to only contact their primary physician. This article also brings up the importance of both genders having equal access and support when it comes to mental health care.

This article is very helpful in my research in providing some qualitative data to my research question. This article in addressing the likelihood of seeking help will benefit my research in adding to my case study of how stigma is associated with people of different genders. Understanding how stigma affects those with depression is important in understanding what our society can do to help those experiencing depression to feel comfortable seeking treatment.

 

 

Genuchi, M. C., & Mitsunaga, L. K. (2015). Sex differences in masculine depression. Journal of   Men’s Studies, 23(3), 243-251.

 

Although this article directly addresses gender, it also discusses the idea of gender roles and how people are socialized to think and act. This study was focused specifically on college student males and females. Their results provided that men tend to externalize their depression more than women do. Another important part to this study was analyzing the differences in the way that men and women are diagnosed with depression and why there is so much discrepancy when it comes to diagnosing.

This article is very relevant to my topic in addressing my research question. It provides a unique view on that of college students which is helpful because it gives me a specific look on people who are my age which is very interesting to me. I also think this article is helpful in identifying the discrepancies and letting people know what the discrepancies are so that change can be made.

 

 

Jeong, L. K., Cho, J., Park, S., & Eun-Cheol Park. (2015). Depression symptom and professional mental health service use. BMC Psychiatry, 15, 1-12.

 

This article specifically addresses the use of professional services for those who are experiencing depression. One specific question this research wanted to understand was why the use of antidepressants seem to be rising but the amount of people seeking professional help seems to be decreasing. This article addresses a few categories of age but in particular it addresses the fact that elderly people of both binary genders are significantly less likely to seek help for their depression.

This article is relevant to my research in providing me with another age group to consider how gender can affect. I am not surprised that elderly people are less likely to seek treatment because I am currently in a Social Gerontology class where we are also studying this topic. The main goal after this study’s results was to spread awareness for addressing how stigma affects people of all genders who experience depression.

 

Schomerus, G., Matschinger, H., & Angermeyer, M. C. (2009). The stigma of psychiatric treatment and help-seeking intentions for depression. European Archives of Psychiatry &         Clinical Neuroscience, 259(5), 298-306.

 

This article specifically discusses stigma and its ability to make a person more reluctant to seeking mental health treatment. For the study the researchers used a scale to address how likely or not a person would be in certain circumstances to seek professional help. This research did find a difference in the female gender versus male gender in their willingness to seek help.

This article will allow me to have research specifically related to the idea of stigma that I am looking at through my theoretical lens. It is important to understand the impact on stigma that goes along with gender so that we can make strides in striking down stigma. This research piece will allow me to see where the gap is when it comes to stigma and how people who identify as male or female may experience different discriminations.

 

 

Wendt, D., & Shafer, K. (2016). Gender and attitudes about mental health help seeking: Results

from national data. Health & Social Work, 41(1), e20-e28.

 

This article specifically addresses gender and where the gap lies when it comes to who is or is not willing to get help when coping with depression. This article also addresses the idea of social support which although is not a specific part of my topic, will still allow me to again look through the lens of understanding stigma. This article seems to have a bit more emphasis on the men’s side which will be helpful since I need to utilize research from multiple gender perspectives.

This article will directly help me answer the question of how gender and stigma are related to whether or not a person experiencing depression will seek treatment. The national data results will give me a big picture view that will hopefully be a good resource for drawing conclusions to my case study.

Research Proposal

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This paper will examine how gender contributes to an individual’s acceptances of their mental illness, specifically depression. Through Irving Goffman’s contributions to Labeling Theory, I will evaluate how one’s gender plays a role not only in their acceptance of their mental illness, but their openness to seeking help. Labeling Theory will be an effective lens for this paper allowing me to understand the role that stigma plays for individuals experiencing depression. Labeling Theory is essential within the field of sociology in understanding the importance of the way that individuals view themselves. Through this case study I hope to better understand how society can help those experiencing depression and avoid placing unnecessary stigma on those individuals.

Abstract

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This paper will examine how gender contributes to an individual’s acceptance of their mental illness, specifically depression. Through Erving Goffman’s contributions to Labeling Theory, I will evaluate how one’s gender contributes to their acceptance of not only their mental illness, but possibly their openness to seeking help. In regard to acceptance, stigma is often associated with depression, preventing those experiencing depression from accepting themselves and feeling accepted by others. Stigma impacts an individual’s willingness to try to mask depression or to seek assistance.

Maggie Miller– first draft of Annotated Bib

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References

 

Amato, P. R., & Zuo, J. (1992). Rural poverty, urban poverty, and psychological well-being. Sociological Quarterly, 33(2), 229.

The use of the data in this research article will help me to get a quantitative picture of my topic. The discussion of poverty targets the first aspect of the topic that I am looking at which is social class. This article will also present a discussion on race and sex which will be helpful to my research. Amato’s article will allow me to better evaluate and understand the consequences or benefits that demographics can have on a person’s well-being.

 

Burke, S. E., Wang, K., & Dovidio, J. F. (2014). Witnessing disclosure of depression: Gender and attachment avoidance moderate interpersonal evaluations. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 33(6), 536-559.

This article will be very helpful when it comes to discussing addressing how different people from different demographics are likely to respond to depression and whether or not they feel comfortable to admit to struggling. These studies will also address specifically the topic that is included in my theoretical framework which is the idea of stigma. For my research this article will help to demonstrate how complex it is to understand who is or is not willing to admit to having depression and why there is so much variation.

 

Kim, M. (2014). Racial/Ethnic disparities in depression and its theoretical perspectives. Psychiatric Quarterly, 85(1), 1-8.

Kim’s article specifically addresses my particular interest in how race affects the willingness or ways in which a person with depression will cope with their mental illness. It also addresses social class and how these demographics specifically have the ability to create disparities. I think this article will be useful in presenting a more qualitative approach to my research.

 

Nakashima, K., Isobe, C., & Ura, M. (2013). How does higher in-group social value lead to positive mental health? An integrated model of in-group identification and support. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 16(4), 271-278.

Although this article is not specifically related to my topic, I think it will be helpful in understanding how the social support aspects of having depression can play a role with stigma. Using my theoretical frame work of Labeling Theory and Goffman’s ideas of stigma, I can look at this article through that specific lens and understand the negative impacts that stigma has on whether or not a person feels they are able to admit to having depression or cope with it.

 

Wei-Chin Hwang, & Myers, H. F. (2013). The explanatory model of illness catalogue: Ethnic differences in women’s illness beliefs and help-seeking for depression. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 20(2), 57-65.

This article addresses three key ideas that my research is focused on; depression, race/ethnicity, and stigma. This article presents another quantitative picture that shows the statistic differences in women when it comes to how different women will cope with depression. I think it will be very helpful to have this article that is specifically about women because it addresses one part to the topic of gender as well. Although this article also addresses some outside factors that I did not consider in my research such as religion, it will still be very beneficial to my case study.

 

Wendt, D., & Shafer, K. (2016). Gender and attitudes about mental health help seeking: Results from national data. Health & Social Work, 41(1), e20-e28.

This article specifically addresses gender and race and where the gap lies when it comes to who is or is not willing to get help when coping with depression. This article also   addresses the idea of social support which although is not a specific part of my topic, will still allow me to again look through the lens of understanding stigma. This article seems to have a bit more emphasis on the men’s side which will be helpful since I have another article that is specifically focused on women.

 

Maggie Miller-Final Research Statement

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For my capstone research paper I will be looking at how social class, race, and gender affect a person’s willingness to admit to struggling with the mental illness depression and furthermore how this in turn affects their coping and/or strategies for reaching out for help. The theoretical framework I will be using comes from Labeling Theory in which Erving Goffman contributed to with the idea of stigma. This theoretical framework will allow me to better understand my topic and see how stigma plays a role alongside the other factors in my research. In terms of social class I will be looking at multiple factors within that such as income and education. Within the category of race I will be including white, black, Hispanic and Asian. As far as gender I will seek to get perspectives from both those who identify within the binary definition of gender and those who consider themselves non-binary. Within my research I do expect there to be notable differences that these categories have on a person’s willingness to admit to struggling with depression and how they go about deciding whether or not to seek help. I am eager to understand how noting these possible differences can be a learning opportunity as far as how we educate people on depression. Furthermore with the use of Erving Goffman’s contributions to Labeling Theory in regards to stigma I hope to learn how we can lessen the stigma that some people or groups feel when it comes to mental illness.