Autonomy-connectedness mediates sex differences in symptoms of psychopathology

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 12; no. 8; p. e0181626
• Main Authors: Bekker, Marrie H J, van Assen, Marcel A L M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 03-08-2017; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antisocial personality disorder; Anxiety; Autonomy; Bias; Biology and Life Sciences; Bulimia; Eating; Eating disorders; Female; Gender aspects; Gender differences; Humans; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - physiopathology; Middle Aged; Personality; Physical Sciences; Psychopathology; Research and Analysis Methods; Risk factors; Sex; Sex Characteristics; Sex differences; Sex differences (Psychology); Social behavior; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Netherlands
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181626

This study aimed to examine if autonomy-connectedness, capacity for self-governance under the condition of connectedness, would mediate sex differences in symptoms of various mental disorders (depression, anxiety, eating disorders, antisocial personality disorder).
Participants (N = 5,525) from a representative community sample in the Netherlands filled out questionnaires regarding the variables under study.
Autonomy-connectedness (self-awareness, SA; sensitivity to others, SO; capacity for managing new situations, CMNS) fully mediated the sex differences in depression and anxiety, and partly in eating disorder -(drive for thinness, bulimia, and body dissatisfaction) and anti-social personality disorder characteristics. The mediations followed the expected sex-specific patterns. SO related positively to the internalizing disorder indices, and negatively to the anti-social personality disorder. SA related negatively to all disorder indices; and CMNS to all internalizing disorder indices, but positively to the anti-social personality disorder.
Treatment of depression, anxiety, but also eating disorders and the antisocial personality disorder may benefit from a stronger focus on autonomy strengthening.