Sex differences in coping and depression among young adults

The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the notion that the association between sex and depression is partly mediated by differences in coping styles. The study is based on questionnaire data from 890 female and 766 male Finnish 22-year-old young adults. Of the 12 ways of coping presented, self-blame, venting anger on others, seeking comfort in sweets and drinking beer were positively, and the others negatively, associated with depression; these were called dysfunctional and functional ways of coping, respectively. Women resorted much more often than men to dysfunctional ways of coping, except drinking. They also scored lower on personal resilience and showed more depressive symptoms. The sex difference in depressiveness was eliminated when dysfunctional coping was taken into account.