Depression Scores Among College Students: Gender Differences

Introduction

The first symptoms of depression tend to occur during college years, yet college students suffering from this condition often do not receive the help they need. While there are various reasons for this failure, one of the most common is the assumption that depression is simply part of the normal stress of college life. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is a common but serious condition typically characterized by persistent feelings of anxiety or sadness. College students are increasingly vulnerable to depression because typical college life is marked by significant stress. Many students occasionally feel anxious or sad, but these emotions usually disappear quickly. When such symptoms persist and go untreated, however, the individual may develop clinical depression, which interferes with the ability to perform daily activities.

Literature Review

According to a national survey by the American College Health Association — National College Health Assessment, approximately 30% of college students report feeling depressed during their school years (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). Amr et al. (2013) corroborates these findings, arguing that depression is one of the mental health problems among college students that is increasingly becoming a significant and growing public health concern requiring epidemiological attention (p. 1). Depression poses a major public health challenge for college populations because students are particularly prone to the stress inherent in the transitional nature of college life.

Brandy (2011) agrees, stating that depression among college students is mainly brought on by the stressful experience of transitioning to college life for the first time. Students risk developing depressive symptomology because of the challenges they face when adapting to the changes college life demands. Geisner, Mallett, and Kilmer (2012) report that depression and alcohol abuse are commonly observed among college students, especially during their first year, precisely because of the difficulties involved in adapting to these life changes (p. 1).

Gender Differences in Depression Scores

Given the heightened vulnerability of college students to depression, examining the factors that generate the condition, its occurrence among male and female students, and its impact on academic performance is increasingly important. One of the most commonly used approaches to evaluate depression in this population is conducting surveys among male and female students. There is substantial argument that depression scores among college students will differ significantly between men and women. Geisner, Mallett, and Kilmer (2012) argue that gender differences play a significant role in the prevalence of depressive symptoms among college students in relation to alcohol consumption (p. 3). They contend that gender moderates the relationship between alcohol consumption and depressed mood, which in turn contributes to significant differences in depression scores between men and women.

According to Hooley, Neale, and Davidson (1989), depression scores among college students differ significantly by gender due to several factors (p. 218). One such factor is that the condition has an earlier onset in men than in women. Men tend to become depressed during young adulthood — typically the early 20s — before a subsequent decline in later years. Women, by contrast, do not show the same decrease in depressive symptoms and may be susceptible to the condition in their early 20s as well. However, women's depressive symptoms during these early years are not as frequent or as pronounced as those observed in men. Accordingly, the significant difference in depression scores between men and women in college can be partly attributed to the earlier onset of the condition in men. For a broader overview of the nature and classification of depression, including differences across demographic groups, general reference sources provide useful context.