Gender Bias in Psychology

Case Study: ADHD

Gender Bias in Psychiatric Media Continued

Types of Gender Bias

• ADHD is depicted by the APA and psychiatric literature as a male-dominated disorder
• Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
• Lower level of hyperactivity but higher levels of intellectual impairment

Thomas Widiger has described several ways in which gender bias manifests in psychology. These include: diagnostic criteria, application of this criteria, sampling size, and diagnostic threshold.

• According to Insitution of Educational Science:
• Aplha Bias- exaggerating the differences between men and women
• Beta Bias- exaggerating the similarity between men and women
• Beta bias is often present when findings among one gender are applied to all genders.

What is Gender Bias

According to the Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, gender bias is prejudice or discrimination due to a person's gender.

Gender Bias in Psychiatric Media

• Historically, the American Psychological Association (APA) has maintained a board dominated by men.
• Edith Kaplan, a prominent female psychologist, criticized the DSM for codifying a gender based criteria set by the male dominated board.

Gender Bias in Psychiatric Media Continued

Case Study in Autism

Introduction

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is still based on old assumptions of the differences between the genders.

• Diagnosis are based on little foundational research.

• A study at the University of Exeter found evidence of a gender bias in the diagnosis of autism in young boys.
• Even with the severity of autisitic traits held constant, boys were still much more likely to receive a postive diagnosis than girls.

• The treatment of mental illness is inherently gendered.
• Current diagnostic modalities are based on archaic views of the effect of gender on mental health.
• There must be more inclusion of women in board positions to put an end to gender bias in psychology and psyhiatric media.

• American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 3rd. Washington, DC: Author; 1980.
• American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th, text rev. Washington, DC: Author; 2000.
• "Factitious Disorders of the Upper Extremity." Factitious Disorders of the Upper Extremity. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2015.
• Garb HN. Race bias, social class bias, and gender bias in clinical judgment. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. 1997;4:99–120.
• Osterman, Meredith, L. Andrew Koman, and A. Lee Osterman. "Factitious Disorders Factitious Disorder , Conversion Reaction, and Malingering in Children." The Pediatric Upper Extremity: 1609-617. Print.
• University of Exeter. "Study finds evidence of gender bias toward diagnosing boys with autism." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 November 2010.
• Widiger TA. Invited essay: Sex biases in the diagnosis of personality disorders. Journal of Personality Disorders. 1998;12:95–118

• Gender bias is inherently present in psychology and psychiatry
• Avoiding gender bias does not mean pretending men and women are the same, but treating men and women with the same level of concern.

Works Cited

Why was the DSM V a dissapointment?

Conclusion

• According to Psychology Today, DSM V incorrectly focuses solely on individual factors and ignores the enviromental effects on the genders.

Possible solutions

• #NoAllMalePanels
• Include more women in high level positions (#blacklivesmatters)
• Stop applying data acquired from studying one gender to other genders (Beta Bias).

Case Study: Factitious Disorder

Thesis

• DSM reports factitious disorders occur more in men without any proof or causation.

• a condition in which a person acts as if they have an illness by deliberately producing, feigning, or exaggerating symptoms. 

The inherent gender bias in psychiatric media has led to a discrepancy in the diagnosis of mental illnesses for the genders.

Gender Bias in Psychology

By: Peter Alsaloum and Ayyan Zubair