Assessing Gender Differences in the Attribution of Certain Mental Disorders to Certain Gender Identities

Overview

This project primarily aimed to quantitatively assess gender differences in the attribution of certain mental disorders to certain gender identities. It secondarily assessed gender differences in mental health literacy. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to our collective understanding of subconscious sexism and its detriment to psychology. To do so effectively, participants were surveyed via Google Forms. Six questions examined participants' attribution of certain mental disorders to certain genders. Six more examined participants’ mental health literacy. An additional two collected basic demographic information. Statistical analysis of the 125 survey responses revealed that there was, in fact, a significant perceived difference in the prevalence of certain mental disorders between genders. Further analysis of the results yielded by this project identified a significant gender-based difference in that perceived difference. Even further analysis identified varyingly significant differences in mental health literacy between genders, ages, and educational backgrounds. At a micro level, this perceived difference may not seem to entail particularly detrimental social ramifications. But, notions like these are known to be carried into the meso and macro levels of society via academia. Academia's ideals tend to define the mores accepted at the macro level. As such, gender differences in the perception of mental health can lead to gender-based gaps in psychopathological research, which can lead to gender-based impacts in the nosology and classifications of certain disorders, which can lead to impacts in the diagnosis of disorders, which can lead to the perpetuation of perceived gender differences in mental health.

Competition history

• ISEF 2025 Behavioral and Social Sciences · Entry BEHA029

Resources

• ISEF abstract page ↗

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