What do counsellors need to know about male depression?

Men's Behavior and Communication in the Days Prior to a Suicide-A Psychological Autopsy Study

Men show a significantly higher suicide rate, are less often recognized as persons at risk, and are more difficult to reach for suicide prevention interventions. Warning signs and deterioration in mental health are often not recognized by their surroundings. This study aims to retrospectively analyze the behavior and communication of men before a suicide, how relatives noticed changes, and how the interaction was perceived. N = 15 individuals who lost a close male relative to suicide were interviewed using psychological autopsy interviews. The interviews were evaluated following a deductive-inductive approach while using a comprehensive category system. The majority of men showed changes in behavior before the suicide, especially social withdrawal, irritability, and generally a deterioration in mental health. In fact, men did communicate their suicidal thoughts before they died through suicide, but mainly indirectly. While only one-third of the deceased made preparations before suicide, the majority of relatives noticed a deterioration in the mental health of the individual as well as increased alcohol and substance use. Men show signs of suicide, which are little recognized by their surroundings. Suicide prevention interventions should be adapted more to the needs of men.

Prevalence of depression in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Background

A hemodialysis is a treatment option for patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). However, patients undergoing hemodialysis three times per week may experience psychological issues, including depression, which are highly prevalent among patients. Unfortunately, most healthcare providers fail to recognize the symptoms of depression due to overlap with other somatic symptoms; thus, depression remains undiagnosed.

Objective

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression and compare the differences in depression symptoms according to the sociodemographic characteristics of patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis.

Method

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2021 with a total of 132 hemodialysis patients using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI II) questionnaire to examine symptoms of depression at multiple health centers in Jeddah. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, Post-hoc analysis using Conover tests were used for data analysis.

Results

The prevalence of depression in hemodialysis patients was 51.5%, 25.8%, 15.9%, and 6.8%, with minimal, mild, moderate, and severe symptoms, respectively. Depression exhibited a significant relationship with sex (p = 0.034), with females showing higher mean depression scores than males. Additionally, depression scores were statistically significant across the different levels of education (p = 0.019), with the mean depression scores significantly highest in subjects who had only primary school level of education. Furthermore, the most common symptoms associated with depression were found to be energy loss and fatigue.

Conclusion

Depression prevalence was relatively low among patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis, and a loss of energy and fatigue were the most common symptoms correlated with depression. Hence, nurses should be trained on how to routinely use psychological screening scales among patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis.

The Association Between Men's Mental Health During COVID-19 and Deterioration in Economic Status

This study investigated associations among economic status deterioration, mental health, and gender during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 1,807 participants completed an online questionnaire that included demographic variables and questions measuring three mental health variables: psychological distress (as measured by symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress), adjustment disorder, and emotional eating. Results indicated that women reported higher mental health impairment than men. Men and women whose economic status significantly deteriorated because of the COVID-19 pandemic reported greater mental health impairment than those whose economic status did not significantly deteriorate. However, men whose economic status significantly deteriorated reported high mental health impairment (emotional eating and adjustment difficulties) similar to women in the same situation. This change in men's reporting pattern suggests that the economic impact of COVID-19 severely impacted their mental health and affected how they view their masculinity, which, in turn, further impaired their mental health. As the COVID-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on mental health worldwide, it is important to identify individuals and groups who are at high risk of mental health impairment. The current study demonstrates that men's distress, which is frequently complex to identify, can be detected using standardized measures and analyzing these according to changes in reporting patterns as opposed to simply examining means and frequencies. The results suggest that the COVID-19 crisis may provide an opportunity to understand more about mental health, in particular, that of men.

Functional Contribution of the Medial Prefrontal Circuitry in Major Depressive Disorder and Stress-Induced Depressive-Like Behaviors

Despite decades of research on the neurobiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), the mechanisms underlying its expression remain unknown. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a hub region involved in emotional processing and stress response elaboration, is highly impacted in MDD patients and animal models of chronic stress. Recent advances showed alterations in the morphology and activity of mPFC neurons along with profound changes in their transcriptional programs. Studies at the circuitry level highlighted the relevance of deciphering the contributions of the distinct prefrontal circuits in the elaboration of adapted and maladapted behavioral responses in the context of chronic stress. Interestingly, MDD presents a sexual dimorphism, a feature recognized in the molecular field but understudied on the circuit level. This review examines the recent literature and summarizes the contribution of the mPFC circuitry in the expression of MDD in males and females along with the morphological and functional alterations that change the activity of these neuronal circuits in human MDD and animal models of depressive-like behaviors.

Psychometric properties of the Masculine Depression Scale in Turkish male university students

AIM

This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the "Masculine Depression Scale" (MDS) in Turkish male university students.

DESIGN AND METHOD

This methodological study was conducted with 337 male university students in 2018.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) reduced the total item number from 44 to 18; the scale included two factors explaining 51.94% of the total variance. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) showed standard regression coefficients between .59 and .75. The Cronbach's α values were .74 to .92 and item-total coefficients were 0.22 to 0.71.

IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS

The two-factor, 18-item MDS is appropriate to assess masculine depression properties in Turkish male university students.

Men's Depression and Suicide

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To explore recent research evidence addressing men's depression and suicide. Included are discussions of recent literature investigating male depression symptoms, and men's depression and suicidality help-seeking and engagement with professional mental health care services.

RECENT FINDINGS

Specific externalizing symptoms of substance misuse, risk-taking, and poor impulse control among men indicate the need for gender-sensitized depression screening and risk assessments. The reticence of some men for seeking professional health care has drawn public awareness raising and de-stigmatizing efforts, while clinical guidelines for working with boys and men have been offered to better serve men seeking help for depression and/or suicidality. There is a strengthening case for male depression comprising specific externalizing symptomology, and these findings, along with high male suicide rates (including men who are seemingly in care), indicate the need for tailored approaches to men's depression and suicide prevention.