Addiction Psychiatry

Biography

Monica Mendes is a Specialist in Clinical Psychology with over 10 years’ experience in Psychotherapy and Counseling for a variety of emotional and situational problems. She customizes therapy to suit each client, drawing from a variety of techniques to enable patients to find the best path to healing and growth. She coordinated the Psychology and Mental Health Department of the Lisbon University Medical Health Center for over 12 years and was Assistant Professor of Developmental Psychology and Educational Psychology for 14 years in the Higher Institute of Sciences and Education (ISEC). As a Senior Supervisor of Clinical Psychology trainee of the Portuguese Board of Psychology; she coordinated the Psychotherapy and Clinical Psychology Consultation of the College Pedagogical and Counseling Center of the Faculty of Psychology of Lisbon University.

 

Abstract

This study aims to describe the risk factors and protective factors for prevalence of depressive symptomatology among young women in a Portuguese non-clinical representative community sample, with ages between 18 and 29. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and a questionnaire including sociodemographic variables, general health variables and women health variables, as well as interpersonal stress factors were mailed to a sample of 1480 subjects. A phone line was available and local papers asked for collaboration. Fifty five young women aged between 18 and 29 answered the CES-D and the questionnaire and was found an high level in the intensity of depressive symptomatology in this sample (18.56+13.7 CES-D mean score). Logistic regression has shown that young women have a double risk of being depressed in comparison to young men and significant risk increments in depressive symptomatology among rural, non-college and recent unemployed young women. It also has shown an increment risk of depression symptomatology among young women with previous depressive episodes and high concerns about body appearance and weight. Nevertheless, being employed and/or being student and have a good health state (self-perceived) founded to be high protective factors for depressive symptomatology. The need for prevention-focused programs for that specific gender group (especially recent unemployed young women, with previous depressive episodes and/or high concerns about body appearance and weight) is discussed as well as other programs to empower resilience in young women.