Greater number of group identifications is associated with lower odds of being depressed: evidence from a Scottish community sample

Sani, F, Madhok, V, Norbury, N, Dugard, P and Wakefield, JRH ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9155-9683, 2015. Greater number of group identifications is associated with lower odds of being depressed: evidence from a Scottish community sample. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 50 (9), pp. 1389-1397. ISSN 0933-7954

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Abstract

Purpose: Group identification has been shown to be associated with reduced risk of depression, but this research has important limitations. Our aim was to establish a robust link between group identification and depression whilst overcoming previous studies’ shortcomings.
Methods: 1824 participants, recruited from General Practice throughout Scotland, completed a questionnaire measuring their identification with three groups (family, community, and a group of their choice), as well as their intensity of contact with each group. They also completed a self-rated depression measure and provided demographic information. Their medical records were also accessed in order to determine if they had been prescribed antidepressants in the previous six months.
Results: Number of group identifications was associated with both lower self-rated depression and lower odds of having received a prescription for antidepressants, even after controlling for number of contact-intensive groups, level of education, gender, age, and relationship status.
Conclusions: Identifying with multiple groups may help to protect individuals against depression. This highlights the potential importance of social prescriptions, where health professionals encourage a depressed patient to become a member of one or more groups with which the patient believes he/she would be likely to identify.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Creators:	Sani, F., Madhok, V., Norbury, N., Dugard, P. and Wakefield, J.R.H.
Publisher:	Springer Medizin
Place of Publication:	Heidelberg, Germany
Date:	September 2015
Volume:	50
Number:	9
ISSN:	0933-7954
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1007/s00127-015-1076-4 DOI
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	EPrints Services
Date Added:	09 Oct 2015 10:26
Last Modified:	19 Apr 2018 10:54
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/12836

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