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Cited by 116Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentPsychological Treatments and Disorders

Gender differences in life events prior to onset of major depressive disorder: The moderating effect of age.

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Harkness, Kate L., Alavi, Nazanin, Monroe, Scott M., Slavich, George M., Gotlib, Ian H., Bagby, R. Michael·2010·Journal of Abnormal Psychology
DOI 10.1037/a0020629PMC PMC3638862
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Abstract

Theoretical models attempting to explain why approximately twice as many women as men suffer from depression often involve the role of stressful life events. However, detailed empirical evidence regarding gender differences in rates of life events that precede onset of depression is lacking, due in part to the common use of checklist assessments of stress that have been shown to possess poor validity. The present study reports on a combined sample of 375 individuals drawn from 4 studies in which all participants were diagnosed with major depressive disorder and assessed with the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (Bifulco et al., 1989), a state-of-the-art contextual interview and life stress rating system. Women reported significantly more severe and nonsevere, independent and dependent, and other-focused and subject-focused life events prior to onset of depression than did men. Further, these relations were significantly moderated by age, such that gender differences in rates of most types of events were found primarily in young adulthood. These results are discussed in term of their implications for understanding the etiological role of stressful life events in depression.

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  • The association between major life stress and MDD persists across the entire life course and is especially strong for women in almost all age groups.

    “This association persists across the entire life course and is especially strong for women in almost all age groups”

    From From stress to inflammation and major depressive disorder: A social signal transduction theory of depression. (2014) · cites this paper as Harkness et al., 2010

    The Results (page not provided) report that women with MDD were more likely than men to have experienced a severe event before onset in all three adult age groups, but not in adolescence. The study assessed pre-onset events only in people with MDD aged 13–65; it does not establish that the association persists across the entire life course. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The number and type of stressful life events preceding major depressive episodes vary across the lifespan, but similar research has not been conducted in the context of STBs.

    “The number and type of stressful life events preceding major depressive episodes vary across the lifespan (Harkness et al. 2010), but similar research has not been conducted in the context of STBs.”

    From Life stress and suicide in adolescents (2019) · cites this paper as Harkness et al. 2010

  • Interpersonal stress strongly and reliably predicts major depressive episodes.

    “Notably, interpersonal stress is a potent and reliable predictor of major depressive episodes (Hammen 2018; Harkness et al. 2010)”

    From Life stress and suicide in adolescents (2019) · cites this paper as Harkness et al. 2010

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Bifulco A Brown G Edwards A Harris T Neilson E Richards C Robinson R 1989 Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (LEDS–2): Vol. 1. Life events manual London, England Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, University of London
  2. First MB Spitzer RL Gibbon M Williams JBW 2002 Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–IV–TR Axis I Disorders, Research Version, Patient Edition. (SCID–I/P) New York, NY Biometrics Research

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Authors
Harkness, K. L., Alavi, N., Monroe, S. M., Slavich, G. M., Gotlib, I. H., & Bagby, R. M.
Affiliations
  • Queen's University (CA)
  • University of Notre Dame (US)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
  • Stanford University (US)
  • Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2010-11
Volume
119
Issue
4
Pages
791-803
ISSN
  • 0021-843X (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1846
DOI
10.1037/a0020629
PMC
PMC3638862
OpenAlex
W2134026694
Cited by
116
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 6
FWCI
9.63
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Abnormal Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Sick Kids Foundation
  • Ontario Mental Health Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health (MH-60802)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Disorders
Keywords
gender differences, major depressive disorder, life events, depression onset, age moderation, early adulthood, contextual interviews, depression in women
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Analysis of Variance, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major, Female, Humans, Interview, Psychological, Life Change Events, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Risk Factors, Severity of Illness Index, Sex Factors, Logistic Models

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