Traditional screening tools for depression focus on internalizing symptoms, including feelings of hopelessness and sadness. Such surveys may miss depression in boys and men, which more often manifests externally as anger and aggression, irritability and risk-taking, Sujata Gupta reported in “The boys are not OK” (SN: 7/1/23, p. 18).
In short, yes, Gupta says. “When the Male Depression Risk Scale was developed, researchers included male and female participants. That revealed that some women also reported high irritability and anger, two emotions associated with externalizing behavior, though at a lower rate than men,” she says.
Irritability is also a feature of depression among children and adolescents, regardless of gender. That would suggest standard surveys may also miss depression in some subset of girls, Gupta says.
In Tunisia’s flat salt pans, desert ants create towering anthills to help foragers find their way home, Soumya Sagar reported in “These desert ants head for the hills” (SN: 7/1/23, p. 16).
2023-08-20 06:15:00
Source from www.sciencenews.org
