Brown & Harris 1978

Question 1

background info

Answer 1

When studying the prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder, we see that women are twice as likely to develop depression as men. Arguments in the past used to focus on hormonal differences as the source of this difference, but many studies of hormones have not demonstrated a clear link to depression. Brown & Harris decided to look at how sociocultural factors or environmental factors may play a role in this gender difference.

Question 2

aim

Answer 2

The study aimed to investigate how depression could be linked to social factors and stressful life events in a sample of women.

Question 3

sample

Answer 3

458 women in South London were interviewed about their daily lives and depressive episodes. The researchers focused on important biographical details—that is, particular life events or difficulties faced by the women.

Question 4

procedure

Answer 4

The researchers focused on important biographical details—that is, particular life events or difficulties faced by the women. These events were later rated in severity by independent researchers. The researchers used semi-structured interviews.

Question 5

results

Answer 5

Social class, measured by the occupation of the husband, played a significant role in the development of depression in women with children. Working-class women with children were four times more likely to develop depression than middle-class women with children.

The researchers identified three major factors that affected the development of depression.

Protective factors protect against the development of depression despite stressors, e.g. high levels of intimacy with one’s husband. These factors lead to higher levels of self-esteem and the possibility of finding other sources of meaning in life.
Vulnerability factors increase the risk of depression in combination with particularly stressful life events - called provoking agents in the study. The most significant vulnerability factors were (1) Loss of one’s mother before the age of 11, (2) lack of a confiding relationship, (3) more than three children under the age of 14 at home, and (4) unemployment.
Provoking agents contribute to acute and ongoing stress. These stressors could result in grief and hopelessness in vulnerable women with no social support.

Question 6

conclusion

Answer 6

The study showed that social factors in the form of life stress (or serious life events) could be linked to depression. The fact that working-class mothers were more likely to develop depression than middle-class mothers showed risk factors associated with social class. According to Brown and Harris, low social status leads to increased exposure to vulnerability factors and provoking agents, whereas high social status was associated with increased exposure to protective factors and decreased exposure to provoking agents.

Question 7

strengths

Answer 7

• semi structured interviews increase credibility
• large sample size, reliability

Question 8

weaknesses

Answer 8

• self reporting hard to assess accurately the extent of depression for the interviewed women
• not generalisable