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Size Matters Stature Is Related to Diagnoses of Depression in Young Military Men

Authors :
Valery Krupnik
Mariya V. Cherkasova
Source :
SAGE Open, Vol 4 (2014)
Publication Year :
2014
Publisher :
SAGE Publishing, 2014.

Abstract

Evolutionary theories suggest that depression has evolved as an adaptation to insurmountable adversity or defeat. One prediction stemming from these models is that individual attributes associated with defeat in a given social environment could be risk factors for depression. We hypothesized that in young military men, where physical prowess was important, short stature might constitute a risk of depression and that this risk would be specific to depression and not to other prevalent mental disorders such as anxiety. A preliminary analysis of the diagnostic profile of a sample of male military personnel treated for mental health indicates that men both shorter and taller than average by 1 standard deviation may be predisposed to higher rates of depressive but not anxiety disorders. Practical and theoretical implications of our findings are discussed.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
21582440
Volume :
4
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
SAGE Open
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.9a867efb40b4b70a0ccf6d489d7ebac
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244014542783