Distribution of psychological distress by gender in people without psychiatric disorders
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Abstract
Objective: To analyze gender differences in psychological distress among Colombian adults without psychiatric disorders, adjusting for age and socioeconomic status.
Methodology: Analytical cross-sectional study in a convenience sample of 155 participants (80 men and 75 women) aged 25 to 60 years. Psychological distress was measured using T-scores from the SCL-90-R scale (at-risk person: T >63). Prevalences were compared using c2 (Wilson 95 %CI) and scores using the Mann-Whitney U test and their effect sizes. Linear regression was adjusted for the global severity index (GSI), and MANOVA was conducted with gender, age, and socioeconomic status as covariates.
Results: Internal consistency was adequate (a=0,74 a 0,85). The prevalence of at-risk individuals ranged from 10,7 % to 29,3 %. In men, between 13,8 % (interpersonal sensitivity) and 28,7 % (somatization); in women, between 10,7 % (hostility) and 29,3 % (psychoticism). Women scored higher in somatization, depression, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and men scored higher in hostility and psychoticism, with small effects (d ≤0,32). After adjustment, no bivariate comparison remained significant; MANOVA revealed a multivariate effect of gender (Pillai=0,177; p <0,05).
Conclusions: Gender differences are small and become more evident under multivariate control. These results are consistent with international literature describing more internalizing symptoms in women and higher hostility and psychoticism in men.
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References
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