Sex Difference
Anyone can get depression no matter the age, sex or even economic status. Never the less, …show more content…
The American College Health Association states that the rate of college students diagnosed with depression increased from 10% in 2000 to 15% in 2006 (as cited in Mahmoud, Staten, Hall & Lennie, 2012). From a developmental perspective this age group is considered as emerging adulthood, where they start getting more responsibilities and becoming more independent of their parents. Dusselier explains that young adult college undergraduates face numerous academic, financial, and social stressors that may negatively alter their mental health (as cited in Mahmoud, Staten, Hall & Lennie, 2012). More importantly Beck & Clark mention that Depression and anxiety are not directly caused by stressors; rather, it is a state that results from an individual’s perception and reaction to those stressors (as cited in Mahmoud, Staten, Hall & Lennie, 2012). What makes the difference is a person’s ability to to learn how to cope with such stressors in life. Blanchard-Fields et al. argues that several studies have indicated that adolescents and young adults used more maladaptive coping strategies, such as escape-avoidance, as compared to other age groups (as cited in Mahmoud, Staten, Hall & Lennie, 2012). Also, “Students who lived with someone or belonged to a social organization were less depressed, anxious, and stressed than those who did not. Students who identified themselves as religious were less depressed and anxious than those who were not religious” (Mahmoud, Staten, Hall & Lennie,