Explaining the gender difference in depressive symptoms

It was hypothesized that women are more vulnerable to depressive symptoms t han men because they are more likely to experience chronic negative circums tances (or strain), to have a low sense of mastery, and to engage in rumina tive coping. The hypotheses were tested in a 2-wave study of approximately 1,100 community-based adults who were 25 to 75 years old. Chronic strain, l ow mastery, and rumination were each more common in women than in men and m ediated the gender difference in depressive symptoms. Rumination amplified the effects of mastery and, to some extent, chronic strain on depressive sy mptoms. In addition, chronic strain and rumination had reciprocal effects o n each other over time, and low mastery also contributed to more rumination . Finally, depressive symptoms contributed to more rumination and less mast ery over time.