The conceptualization and measurement underlying the `vulnerability' model of depression in women proposed by George Brown and his colleagues are criticized and an alternative, additive `strain' model is proposed. It is also argued that Brown et al.'s statistical methods are inappropriate. An alternative approach utilizing logit and linear probability estimation is proposed. With these techniques, the `vulnerability' and `strain' models are tested, using Brown and Harris' data. The `vulnerability' model is confirmed with the linear probability estimation but not with the logit estimation, while the `strain' model is confirmed with the logit estimation but not with the linear probability estimation. The significance of these results for an assessment of the work of Brown et al. and their implications for other research involving highly skewed dichotomous dependent variables are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aneshensel, C.S. and Stone, J. D.1982. `Stress and depression: A test of the buffering model of social support'. Archives of General Psychiatry39:1392-1396.
2.
Baker, R.J. and Nelder, J.A. 1978. The GLIM System, Release3. Oxford: Numerical Algorithms Group.
3.
Bebbington, P.1980. `Causal models and logical inference in epidemiological psychiatry'. British Journal of Psychiatry136:317-325.
4.
Bebbington, P., Stuart, E., Tennant, C. and Hurry, J.1984. `Misfortune and resilience: A community study of women'. Psychological Medicine14:347-363.
5.
Brown, G.W. 1974. `Meaning, measurement, and stress of life events'. In B.S. Dohrenwend and B.P. Dohrenwend (eds.), Stressful Life Events: Their Nature and Effects, New York: John Wiley.
6.
Brown, G.W. and Harris, T.O. 1978a. Social Origins of Depression: A Study of Psychiatric Disorder in Women, New York: Free Press.
7.
Brown, G.W. and Harris, T.O.1978b. `Social origins of depression: a reply'. Psychological Medicine8:577-588.
8.
Brown, G.W., Harris, T.O., Copeland, J.R.1977. `Depression and loss'. British Journal of Psychiatry130:1-18.
9.
Brown, G.W., Harris, T.O., and Peto, J.1973a. `Life events and psychiatric disorders. Part 2: Nature of the causal link'. Psychological Medicine3:159-176.
10.
Brown, G.W., Ni Bhrolchain M. and Harris, T.O.1975. `Social class and psychiatric disturbance among women in an urban population'. Sociology9:225-254.
11.
Brown, G.W., Sklair, F., Harris, T.O. and Birley, J.L.T.1973b. `Life events and psychiatric disorders. Part 1: Some methodological issues'. Psychological Medicine3:74-87.
12.
Campbell, E.A., Cope, S.J., and Teasdale, J.D.1983. `Social factors and affective disorder: An investigation of Brown and Harris's model'. British Journal of Psychiatry143:548-553.
13.
Cleary, P.D. and Kessler, R.C.1982. `The estimation and interpretation of modifier effects'. Journal of Health and Social Behavior23:159-169.
14.
Cobb, S.1976. `Social support as a moderator of life stress'. Psychosomatic Medicine38:301-314.
15.
Costello, C.G.1982. `Social factors associated with depression: A retrospective community study'. Psychological Medicine12:329-339.
16.
Cox, D.R. 1970. Analysis of Binary Data, London: Methuen.
17.
Everitt, B.S and Smith, A.M.R.1979. `Interactions in contingency tables: a brief discussion of alternative definitions'. Psychological Medicine9:581-583.
18.
Fienberg, S.E. 1980. The Analysis of Cross-Classified Categorical Data, 2nd. edition, Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.
19.
Goodman, L. 1976. `The relationship between modified and usual multiple regression approaches to the analysis for dichotomous variables'. In Heise, D. (ed.), Sociological Methodology 1976, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, pp. 83-110.
20.
Hall, L., Williams, C.A. and Greenberg, R.S.1985. `Supports, stressors, and depressive symptoms in low-income mothers of young children'. American Journal of Public Health75:518-522.
21.
Hope, K.1976. `Comments on a study of depression in women'. Sociology10:321-323.
22.
Husaini, B.A., Neff, J.A., Newbrough, J.R. and Moore, M.C.1982. `The stress-buffering role of social support and personal competence among the rural married'. Journal of Community Psychology10:409-426.
23.
Kessler, R.C. 1983. `Methodological issues in the study of psychosocial stress'. In Kaplan, H.B. ed., Psychosocial Stress, New York: Academic Press.
24.
Pearlin, L.I., Lieberman, M.A., Menaghan, E.G. and Mullan, J.T.1981. `The stress process'. Journal of Health and Social Behavior22:337-356.
25.
Robins, L.N., Helzer, J.E., Weissman, M.N., Orvaschel, H., Gruenberg, E., Burke, J.D. and Regier, D.A.1984. `Lifetime prevalence of specific psychiatric disorders in three sites'. Archives of General Psychiatry41:949-958.
26.
Roy, A.1978. `Vulnerability factors and depression in women'. British Journal of Psychiatry133:106-110.
27.
Schaefer, C., Coyne, J.C. and Lazarus, R.1981. `The health related functions of social support'. Journal of Behavioral Medicine4:381-406.
28.
Solomon, Z. and Bromet, E.1982. `The role of social factors in affective disorder: An assessment of the vulnerability of Brown and his colleagues'. Psychological Medicine12:123-130.
29.
Tennant, C. and Bebbington, P.1978. `The social causation of depression: A critique of the work of Brown and his colleagues'. Psychological Medicine8:565-575.
30.
Tennant, C., Smith, A., Bebbington, P. and Hurry, J.1981. `Parental loss in childhood'. Archives of General Psychiatry38:309-314.
31.
Theil, H.1970. `On the estimation of relationships involving qualitative variables'. American Journal of Sociology76:103-154.
32.
Thoits, P.A.1982. `Life stress, social support and psychological vulnerability: Epidemiological considerations'. Journal of Community Psychology10:341-362.
33.
Thoits, P.A. 1983. `Dimensions of life events that influence psychological distress: An evaluation and synthesis of the literature'. In H.B. Kaplan (ed.), Psychological Stress, New York: Academic Press.
34.
Turner, R.J.1981. `Social support as a contingency in psychological well-being'. Journal of Health and Social Behavior22:357-367.
35.
Turner, R.J. and Noh, S.1983. `Class and psychological vulnerability among women: The significance of social support and personal control'. Journal of Health and Social Behavior24:2-15.
36.
Wheaton, B.1983. `Stress, personal coping resources, and psychiatric symptoms: An investigation of interaction models'. Journal of Health and Social Behavior24:208-229.
