Gender differences in the endorsement of symptoms for depression and anxiety: Are gender biased items responsible?
Date
2008
Authors
Leach, Liana
Christensen, Helen
Mackinnon, Andrew
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Abstract
Gender-biased items are one explanation for the gender difference in reports of depression and anxiety symptoms. This hypothesis was explored using responses from the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression scales. Responses were drawn from 2 waves of a community-based survey with participants in 3 age cohorts: 20 to 25, 40 to 44, and 60 to 64 at wave 1. The results showed that a 2-factor model fitted the scales well. Multiple group analyses showed that that for all 3 age groups and both time points the fit indices changed minimally between a model that constrained parameters to be equal across gender and a model that permitted variation. These findings indicate that gender differences in the endorsement of items from the Goldberg scales are not because of gender-biased items. This study points to alternate biopsychosocial explanations and highlights the importance of choosing appropriate methods of analysis when assessing item bias.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: adult; aged; anxiety; article; controlled study; depression; factorial analysis; female; health survey; human; interview bias; major clinical study; male; sex difference; symptom; Adult; Aged; Anxiety Disorders; Bias (Epidemiology); Depressive Disorder; F Anxiety; Depression; Gender differences; Item bias; Measurement
Citation
Collections
Source
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
Type
Journal article