Anxiety Disorders: Sex Differences in Prevalence, Degree, and Background, But Gender-Neutral Treatment
Abstract
Background Anxiety disorders are more prevalent among women than among men. Objective The aim of this paper was to investigate to what degree current psychological theories and treatment of anxiety disorders incorporate sex and gender considerations. Methods Relevant English, Dutch, German, or French empirical articles published until November 2006 were identified using the PsycINFO and PubMed databases as well as manual searches. The following search terms were used: anxiety disorders and sex differences, anxiety disorders and gender, anxiety disorders and women, anxiety disorders and men; combinations of these terms were used with prevalence, phenotypes, treatment, and therapy. In addition to all the aforementioned combinations, we replaced anxiety disorders with agoraphobia, panic disorder, social phobia, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Results Whereas widespread attention has been paid to sex differences in the prevalence of anxiety disorders and their possible origins, scant attention has been given to these differences in terms of treatment. Conclusions Prevention and treatment of anxiety disorders might be more effective if the available knowledge about sex and gender specificity was implemented. Concomitantly, treatment effect studies could be improved by greater consideration of sex and gender throughout the research process. More fundamental research is needed regarding the relationship between sex, gender, and anxiety disorders, particularly in association with other mental disorders that have an unequal prevalence between the sexes.
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The gender perspective is seldom taken into account to explain differences between women and men in anxiety diagnosis and prognosis and to establish its treatment.
“However, despite this clear connection between gender socialization and anxiety, this gender perspective is seldom taken into account to explain the differences observed between women and men in its diagnosis and prognosis and, even less, to establish its treatment.19,20”
From Factors associated with gender and sex differences in anxiety prevalence and comorbidity: A systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [19]
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“However, despite this clear connection between gender socialization and anxiety, this gender perspective is seldom taken into account to explain the differences observed between women and men in its diagnosis and prognosis and, even less, to establish its treatment.(19,20) Therefore, data on the prevalence of anxiety…”
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- Authors
- Bekker, M. H. J., & van Mens-Verhulst, J.
- Affiliations
- Tilburg University (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Bekker, Marrie H.J.
- ORCID
- Bekker, Marrie H.J.
- Venue
- Gender Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-01
- Volume
- 4
- Pages
- S178-S193
- ISSN
- 1550-8579 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2149899035
- Cited by
- 362
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 14.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Gender Medicine (publishedVersion)
- Research portal (Tilburg University) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Sex and Gender in Healthcare
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- anxiety disorders, sex differences, gender differences, prevalence, psychological intervention, men, agoraphobia, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Anxiety Disorders, Europe, Female, Gender Identity, Humans, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Sex Factors, Prevalence, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
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