Factors Related to the Level of Depression and Suicidal Behavior Among Men With Diagnosed Depression, Physically Ill Men, and Healthy Men
Summary & key facts
Researchers studied about 600 men to find what is linked with how severe their depression is and whether they have suicidal thoughts or behaviors. They compared three groups: men diagnosed with depression, men with physical illnesses, and men without major illnesses. The study used questionnaires about alcohol and smoking, ways of coping with stress, resilience, self-confidence, and suicidal behavior. The researchers found different things that were linked with higher or lower levels of depression and suicidal behavior in each group. They suggest clinicians should pay attention to these factors and that some protective skills, like productive coping and social skills, might be worth strengthening in programs for men.
- The study included about 600 men divided into three groups: men diagnosed with depression, men with physical disorders, and healthy men.
- Researchers used questionnaires on alcohol use, smoking, coping styles, resilience and confidence, and a male depression scale and a suicide behavior checklist to look for links with depression and suicidal behavior.
- In men with diagnosed depression, the things linked with higher depression and suicidal behavior included having vocational education, using active coping, turning to religion, having social competence, and being single.
- In that same depressed group, some things were linked with lower depression and suicidal behavior: being unemployed, being a student, low satisfaction with money, having children, having family members with mental disorders, alcohol addiction, and seeking practical help.
- In men with physical illnesses, protective links (associated with lower depression or suicidal behavior) included living in a small or medium city, active coping, venting emotions, and personal competence; a past psychiatric treatment was linked with higher risk.
- In healthy men, protective links included living in a medium-sized city, reappraising problems positively, planning, and personal and social competence; risk links included vocational or higher education, being a student, financial satisfaction, having more than one child, family mental disorder, family alcohol abuse, and using psychoactive substances to cope.
- The authors say these identified risk and protective factors should be included when clinicians assess suicide risk in men with depression.
- The study highlights that some protective skills, like productive coping and personal and social competence, are qualities that can be developed and might be useful in mental health programs for men.
Abstract
Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder in people who die by suicide. Awareness of risk factors for suicide in depression is important for clinicians. The study was aimed at establishing models of factors related to the level of depression and suicidal behavior among men from three different groups-in men with depressive disorder, in comparison to men with physical disorder and healthy men. A total of 598 men were included in the study. The following questionnaires were used in research model: test with sociodemographic variables, AUDIT Test, Fagerström Test, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress (Mini-COPE), Resilience Evaluation Questionnaire (KOP-26), Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) by Osman, and Gotland Male Depression Scale. In men with depression, the positive factors strongly related to the intensity of depression and suicidal behavior were as follows: vocational education, active coping, turning toward religion, social competence for resilience, and bachelor status. The factors negatively related to the intensity of depression and suicidal behavior in this group were as follows: unemployed status, student status, low satisfaction with the financial situation, having children, history of mental disorders in family, alcohol addiction, and seeking instrumental support. In the group of men with physical disorders, the following protection factors were identified: the medium or small city as a place of living, active coping, venting, and personal competence. The following risk factors were identified in this group: psychiatric treatment in the past. In the group of healthy men, the following protective factors were identified: the medium city as a place of living, positive reappraisal, planning abilities, and personal and social competence for resilience. In this group, the following risk factors were identified: vocational and higher education, student status, satisfaction with the financial situation, having more than one children, the occurrence of mental disorders in the family, the occurrence of alcohol abuse in the family, and use of psychoactive substances as a strategy of dealing with stress. The risk factors identified in this study should be included in the clinical assessment of depression and suicidal behavior risk in male patients. There are some protective factors identified, including productive coping and personal and social competencies, which can be developed and should be especially considered and strengthened in mental health promotion programs aimed at men.
