Gender differences in self‐reported symptoms of depression and anxiety in adults with intellectual disabilities
| Published date | 12 July 2013 |
| Pages | 191-200 |
| Date | 12 July 2013 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-03-2013-0025 |
| Author | Rebecca Chester,Eddie Chaplin,Elias Tsakanikos,Jane McCarthy,Nick Bouras,Tom Craig |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care |
Gender differences in self-reported
symptoms of depression and anxiety in
adults with intellectual disabilities
Rebecca Chester, Eddie Chaplin, Elias Tsakanikos, Jane McCarthy, Nick Bouras and
Tom Craig
Rebecca Chester is a Lecturer
Practitioner in Learning
Disability Nursing at the
University of Hertfordshire,
Reading, UK.
Eddie Chaplin is Research and
Strategy Lead at the Estia
Centre, South London and
Maudsley NHS Foundation
Trust, London, UK.
Elias Tsakanikos is a Reader in
Psychology at the Department
of Psychology, Roehampton
University, London, UK and the
Health Service and Population
Research Department, Institute
of Psychiatry, King’s College
London, London, UK.
Jane McCarthy is a Clinical
Director, Nick Bouras is a
Professor Emeritus and Tom
Craig is a Professor, all at the
Institute of Psychiatry, King’s
College London, London, UK.
Abstract
Purpose – This study aimed to examine for differences on how symptoms relating to depression and
anxiety were reported by males and females with intellectual disability as part of the development of the
Self-Assessment Intervention Package (SAINT), a guided self-help tool.
Design/methodology/approach – Three self-report questionnaires were administered ( The Glasgow
Depression Scale – Learning Disabilities (GDS-LD)), Glasgow Anxiety Scale – Intellectual Disabilities
(GAS-ID) and Self-Assessment Intervention Package (SAINT) to a group of people with mild intellectual
disabilities (n ¼36), to allow comparison of symptom reporting between genders, in particular examining the
SAINT across the two groups.
Findings – Statistically significant differences in self-reported symptoms as assessed with SAINT were
found between males and females. The symptoms where related mainly to mood and self-esteem. Overall,
endorsement of self-reported depressive symptoms was between 2.7-3.2 times higher in female than
male patients.
Originality/value – There was evidence to suggest differences in self-report and symptom profiles of
depression and anxiety of males and females with mild intellectual disabilities with females reporting higher
in terms of symptoms using the SAINT.The SAINT is a valid tool for screening and self-reporting symptoms
of anxiety and depression in people with intellectual disabilities.
Keywords Intellectual disabilities, Depression, Anxiety, Gender, Self-report, Disabilities
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
This study aimed to examine gender differences in adults with mild intellectual disabilities
in terms of symptoms of depression and anxiety. The working hypothesis was that females
self-report differently to males.
Mood and anxiety disorders are the most common diagnoses of mental illness in people with
intellectual disabilities with estimates for mood disorders 5.5 per cent, depression 3.8 per cent
(Cooper et al., 2007) and anxiety disorder 6 per cent (Smiley, 2005). It is acknowledged that
people with intellectual disabilities are at greater risk of developing mental illness than the
general population with rates reported between 10 and 39 per cent (Deb et al., 2001). This
variation is likely for a number of reasons including definition used, identification and sampling
issues such as the inclusion and exclusion of challenging behaviour (Brothwick-Duffy, 1994).
There is some evidence of gender differences for specific diagnoses such as depression
(Smiley, 2005), with prevalence estimates for affective disorder reported at 5.5 per cent for
males and 8 per cent for female in people with intellectual disabilities (Cooper et al., 2007).
A number of studies have provided evidence to support higher rates of depression in women
DOI 10.1108/AMHID-03-2013-0025 VOL. 7 NO. 4 2013, pp. 191-200, CEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282
j
ADVANCES IN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISA BILITIES
j
PAGE 191
To continue reading
Request your trial