Depression, Anxiety and Stress Management

This study aims to describe the risk factors and protective factors for prevalence of depressive symptomatology among young men in a Portuguese non-clinical representative community sample, with ages between 18 and 29. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scales (CES-D; Radloff, 1977), and a questionnaire including sociodemographic variables, general health variables and interpersonal stress factors were mailed to a sample of 1480 subjects. A phone line was available and local papers asked for collaboration. Sixty three young men aged between 18 and 29 answered the CES-D and the questionnaire and found a high level intensity of depressive symptomatology in this sample (18.56+13.7 CES-D mean score). Logistic regression has shown that recent unemployed young men, non college and young men living in rural areas have a significant higher of being depressed in comparison with employed men, college students or young men living in urban areas. It also has shown an increment risk of depression symptomatology among young men with previous depressive episodes, high concerns about body appearance and weight and high concerns about sexual performance. Nevertheless, being employed and/or being student and a self-perceived good health state (self-perceived) founded to be high protective factors for depressive symptomatology. The need for preventionfocused programs for that specific gender group (especially recent unemployed young men, with previous depressive episodes and/or high concerns about body appearance and weight) is discussed.