ABSTRACT
The purpose of this research was to compare differences in the experiences of gay men and lesbian women who describe experiences of depression or depressed mood. The 2 main research questions were how do descriptions of depression and daily life differ between gay males and lesbian females. To this end, Weblogs containing narratives of 19 gay men and 19 lesbian women were coded, analyzed, and compared using qualitative content analysis methods. Differences in described sources of depression and responses to depression, but not features of depression were found. Women and men also differed with respect to their main priorities; their descriptions of social interactions, social issues, reflections, and emotions; and a number of other daily life experiences. Findings were discussed with respect to implications for treatment and prevention of depression among sexual minorities.
Acknowledgments
Nathalie Lovasz received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario in 2007 and is currently a Masters student in the Clinical Psychology Program, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia. Dr. Juanne Clarke is Professor, Department of Sociology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario. As a medical sociologist, Dr. Clarke has spent her career exploring the public health system and the personal health systems of individuals. Her research interests include health and illness, gender and medicine, qualitative and feminist methodologies, religion and sociology.
Notes
1. Although 13 female blogs contained a total of 25 entries that dealt with depression experiences, only 10 male blogs contained a total of 12 entries that pertained to depression. Depression thus ranked as the second most commonly discussed topic and the third most frequently coded topic for women, but only as the third most common and 11th most coded theme in male noexpand blogs.
2. Sixty-seven references to work and education were found in 24 of the Weblogs analyzed.
3. Twelve male blogs contained a total of 36 references to work and education, and 12 female blogs contained a total of 31 references to work and education. Work and education ranked first in terms of total sources and references for men, but only second by references and third by sources for women.
4. Overall, 61 references to family were found in 21 blogs.
5. In male Weblogs, family ranked fifth by sources and sixth by references in terms of frequency of occurrence. Female blogs contained a total of 45 references to family distributed across 14 blogs, yet only eight male blogs contained 16 references to family.
6. It was coded in 15 references across seven sources, and thus ranked seventh most frequent by references and sixth most frequent by sources for men. The same code was only found in six sources and 10 references by female authors, and ranked 26th most frequent by references and 23rd most frequent by sources.
7. The theme of love was coded 14 times across eight female blogs, thus ranking as the 13th most frequent reference and 14th most frequent source, but was only coded five times in four male blogs, thus ranking 40th by source and 30th by reference for men.
8. In total, 40 entries in 13 blogs were categorized under the theme current events. Current events was the thirdmost frequent theme by references and fourth most frequent theme by sources for men (eight sources, 22 references), as well as the sixth most frequent theme by references for women (29th by sources).
9. In particular, four men discussed topics of discrimination in 10 entries. It was thus ranked 17th by references and 24th by sources, yet there were only four references in three female blogs, leaving it ranked below 50 both in terms of sources and references).
10. Five references in five sources were coded as defining gay. This theme thus ranked 19th in terms of sources but 39th in terms of references. Only two references in two sources for women were coded for this theme, which thus ranked above 80 in terms of references and sources for women.
11. Politics was ranked eighth by references and 14th by sources for female Weblogs (eight references, 16 sources) but only 20th and 21st for men (five sources, nine references).
12. There were 15 references to feminism, making feminism the ninth most common theme by references.
13. Ten entries in seven blogs could be categorized as isolation (ranked 16th by source and 23rd by reference). Ten entries in seven blogs were coded as suicide and giving up (ranked 17th by reference and 24th by source).
14. Six sources, nine references to frustration, ranked 19th by source and 29th by references. Six sources, nine references to self-hate and doubt, ranked 20th by source and 30th by references.
15. They all ranked below 30 as follows, with under five references and sources: frustration and isolation, three sources, four references; self-hate or doubt: two sources, four references; suicide and giving up: one source, two references.
16. Five sources, 20 references to religion were found in male Weblogs, making religion the fifth most frequent theme in terms of references and the 11th most frequent in terms of sources.
17. There were only 12 entries across 5 Weblogs that dealt with religion, which was, thus, ranked 28th by references and 25th by source.
18. There were six sources, 12 references in male Weblogs and seven sources, 12 references in female Weblogs. Reflections were ranked 10th by references, 7th by sources for men but only 17th by references and 15th by sources for women.
19. Eleven sources, 25 references compared to nine sources, 15 references for females.
20. Eleventh by references and sixth by sources.
21. Dating: 17 references in two sources. Fashion: 15 references in four sources.
22. Dating: 11 references in eight sources. Fashion: 10 references in nine sources.
23. Four female blogs contained 13 references to coming out; five male blogs contained seven references to coming out.