Factors Leading to Depression in Young Adults - Research Paper Example

Factors Leading to Depression in Young Adults Introduction The human species, being the most intelligent life form on Earth is unfortunately more prone to disorders of the mind due to this very quality of intelligence. The complexity and diversity of human life, especially in the fast paced technological environment that exists today is all the more congenial for giving rise to novel mental diseases which are being encountered with alarming intensity in all sections of society. The human personality begins to take shape right from infancy with the genetic, socio cultural and economic factors playing a vital role in its development. Although each society tries to churn out perfect human beings, the myriad influences of genes, environment and social factors begin to influence the personality of its members in diverse manners, which may develop in the right direction, or undergo some aberration in the process leading to abnormalities. Anxiety and depression are being encountered with increasing frequency due to this interplay and are therefore an intense topic for study and research in today’s society. Endeavors to overcome such disorders have been made through religious efforts, social counseling as well as the tools of modern medicine. The various factors leading to depression and others which reinforce or reduce it are discussed in the following paragraphs. Predisposing Factors Q1. What are the predisposing factors for depression? It has been encountered in society that certain individuals are more prone to depression than others. Some people are able to overcome the intimidations of modern society in a more effective manner. The reason for the existence of such differences has led to research in this direction which has generated a number of controversial theories and mechanisms. One such hypothesis suggests that it might be due to the influence of early relational experiences during the developmental stages, which activate the hypophysial-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in an adverse manner (Beatson & Taryan, 2003). Any adverse or intimidating event in later life can trigger depression in such individuals. The basis for the predisposition to depression therefore involves a biochemical process which has been investigated by the authors (Beatson & Taryan, 2003). In a qualitative analysis of literature pertaining to the biochemical basis for predisposition to depression, the authors have compartmentalized the literature available into sections which substantiate the facts of this hypothesis in animal models as well as human beings. The authors have presented evidence for the genetic predisposition in some individuals to be more prone to being depressed due to such a mechanism, at the same time highlighting the inherent resistance in others. The shielding influence that parental attachment provides during these formative years also has an important role in the prevention of the effects of adverse influences on the HPA axis. In a quantitative study to investigate the role of insecure attachment as a risk factor for future incidence of depression in early adolescence, it was discovered that insecure attachment to parents in young children might precipitate symptoms of severe depression during the early adolescent period, especially at the age level of 12-14 years (Sund & Wichstrom, 2002). In another questionnaire based quantitative study, it was discovered that not only parental, but attachment patterns with friends and romantic partners too influenced the precipitation of depression in future years (Margolese et al, 2004). During physical as well as mental growth, every human has an innate desire for the maintenance of relatedness with relatives and friends on whom they depend for providing solutions in times of need. Strong attachment with parents results in expectations of emotional fulfillment during a crisis and the responsiveness from the expected quarters has a vital role to play in the development of emotional stability in a child. As the child grows, new people like friends or romantic partners start having more influence on fulfilling emotional needs and the attachment level and intensity leave their marks on the resultant psyche. Any lacuna of responsiveness from the quarters from where there is high expectation results in emotional instability which can lead to depression in subsequent years. Q2. What is the role of attachment in depression? There are variations in attachment level of children with their parents which exist due to socio-cultural influences as well at the individual family level. The era of the joint family is over and children nowadays usually live in single family units which may comprise of only one parent in some instances. The attachment which a child develops during the early years is therefore governed by the individual situation. It has been observed that the intensity and level of emotional attachment with the parents or caregivers during teenage is a strong predictor of depression (Sund & Wichstrom, 2002). The authors performed a year long longitudinal study which took a number of factors like demographic patterns, sex, economic situation and parental status into consideration to find the incidence of insecurity due to suboptimal attachment in early teens. The study design incorporated questionnaire based surveys over a span of one year in which they collected data at the beginning and at the end of a year from youngsters as well as their parents. Their analysis predicted that insecure attachment with parents during early teenage was a predisposing factor for severe depression. Attachment influences both biological and cognitive processes within the child which determine their handling of future situations in life. The study though comprehensive in design and appropriate in statistical interpretation lacks some important aspects such as consideration of genetic factors, individual family situations and concurrence of preexisting psychological disorders within families (Sund & Wichstrom, 2002). In order to have an appropriate analysis, such factors are vital as their neglect can lead to erroneous interpretations when questionnaires are generalized for mass populations. Emotional stability is directly related to the level of attachment with parents during early childhood. A strong bond with either of the parents is essential for the later positive social interaction of the growing child. Children with the history of strong attachment tend to have more satisfying social relationships as they have a better comprehension of social interactions occurring in later life and know how to respond to novel situations (Liu, 2006). On the other hand, lack of attachment results in the inculcation of insecurity in children which makes them unable to interact properly within the peer group, and face the social situations they encounter in later life. This leads to a predisposition for depression as they fail to form strong social bonds. Lack of self esteem and self unworthiness due to parental rejection in early years can lead to evaluation of future relationships by the growing adolescent by the same coin which can result in depression. This analysis was obtained from the comprehensive study conducted in Taiwanese 8th graders who were administered questionnaires to be evaluated for factors such as children depression inventory, Child’ perception of security, perceived social support from friends and children’s expectation of social behavior questionnaire (Liu, 2006). The sampled group involved majority of children who lived with both parents (76.7%) and the sex ratio was unbiased as almost equal number of boys and girls participated in the study. The study took into consideration the peculiar situations relevant to boys or girls and addressed issues relating to paternal as well as maternal attachment separately. Q3. Are there any gender variations in depression susceptibility? The concept formation during early childhood and adolescent period has an important component of sex as boys and girls have different criteria for responding and adjusting to social situations. In fact there may be different pathways to depression in adolescence which may relate either to parental attachment or to other close individuals such as best friends and romantic partners (Margolese et al, 2004). The study conducted by these authors although used the traditional questionnaire based techniques for evaluation of depression due to different relationships among adolescents, was unique in the sense that it incorporated a novel design of evaluation where vignettes were used to assess the participants. The children were provided with hypothetical situations from real life and their responses were evaluated in a computer based study. The results showed that maternal attachment was more important in girls as compared to the boys. Their gender role expectations were more in coherence with their mothers and they showed a tendency towards relying more and more on their mothers for emotional support as they aged. It was discovered that females who attributed themselves as a negative model in relation to the conceptualization of their mother’s identity had more chances for suffering from depression (Margolese et al, 2004). Boys, on the other hand, tended to become more autonomous with age and less dependent on the attachment to their mothers. Wautier & Blume, 2004 have extensively explored the role of gender in precipitating depression in young adults. According to the authors, sex typing or gender isolation begins from birth itself in society which makes the child assume specific roles from the very beginning. Although gender role (masculine, feminine, androgynous) adherence has diminished during recent times, the differences as regards the social position in males and females still exist (Wautier & Blume, 2004). This influences identity development which is different for both sexes and hence they are subject to unique criteria for their predisposition to depression. Q4. What biological mechanisms are involved in depression? As the human psyche and personality is a complex blend of biological and psychological interactions, both contribute in the generation of anxiety or depression during the life process. The hypophysial-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays a pivotal role in the conceptualization and response to the external stimuli which shape an individual’s personality (Beatson & Taryan, 2003). The HPA axis is subject to being triggered in a particular direction depending upon the relational experiences in early life. As different regions of the brain are responsible for different activities, their emotional activation begins from infancy itself as a result of the environmental influences a child is exposed to (Beatson & Taryan, 2003). The psychological aspects begin to surface when social awareness is recognized and personal interactions start taking place within the family during childhood and the society in later years. Any loss or deprivation experienced at any stage of life is the psychological precipitating cause of depression. Helplessness and powerlessness, if experienced due to lack of support from where it is expected, i.e. from parents with whom attachment develops in initial years may be a cause for immediate depression which is magnified later in social interactions as an adolescent. On the basis of concepts reinforced during childhood, the adult psychosocial vulnerability to depression is built upon the quality of ongoing relationships and the response elicited on the basis of preconceived notions (Bifulco et al, 2001). Adult personality may incorporate an attitudinally secure or insecure mind depending upon past life experiences which shapes their responses to subsequent social interactions, which may contribute to depression in adulthood. REFERENCES Beatson, J. & Taryan, S. (2003). Predisposition to depression: the role of attachment, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 37, 219–225 Bifulco, A., Moran, P.M., Ball C. et al (2001). Adult attachment style. II: Its relationship to psychosocial depressive-vulnerability, Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 37: 60–67 Liu, Y. (2006). Paternal/Maternal Attachment, Peer Support Social Expectations of Peer Interaction, and Depressive Symptoms, Adolescence, Vol. 41, No. 164 Margolese, S.K., Markiewicz, D. & Doyle, A.B. (2004). Attachment to Parents, Best Friend, and Romantic Partner: Predicting Different Pathways to Depression in Adolescence, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Vol. 34, No. 6, 637-650 Sund, A.M. & Wichstrom, L. (2002). Insecure Attachment as a Risk Factor for Future Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence, J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 41(12):1478-1485. Wautier, G. & Blume, L.B. (20040. The Effects of Ego Identity, Gender Role, and Attachment on Depression and Anxiety in Young Adults, Identity: an International Journal of Theory and research, 4 (1), 59-76 Read More