Depression, Substance Abuse and Agonism among Divorced People

Description

Page: 410-414

Shweta Singh and Durgesh Kumar Upadhyay (Department of Psychology, MGKVP, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)

The psychological ramifications of divorce represent a significant area of inquiry within mental health research, particularly concerning emotional distress and maladaptive behaviors. The present study aimed to examine gender differences and interrelationships among depression, substance abuse, and agonism in a sample of divorced individuals. Utilizing a correlational research design, data were collected from 100 divorced participants (50 men and 50 women) in Uttar Pradesh, India, through purposive sampling. Standardized measures employed included the Beck Depression Inventory-Hindi (BDI-H), Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST), and the Agonism subscale of the Social Mentalities Scale (SMS). Results indicated statistically significant gender differences across all three variables. Women reported higher levels of depression (M = 19.59, SD = 6.96) compared to men (M = 13.70, SD = 8.20), whereas men demonstrated higher levels of substance abuse (M = 36.35, SD = 4.15) and agonism (M = 33.62, SD = 7.34) than women. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between depression and substance abuse (r = .179, p < .01), a negative correlation between depression and agonism (r = .173, p < .01), and a strong positive association between substance abuse and agonism (r = .530, p < .01). These findings underscore the complex and gendered psychological profiles of divorced individuals, highlighting the interplay between internalized distress and externalized behaviors. The study calls for gender-sensitive, integrative interventions to address the psychological vulnerabilities of divorced populations and mitigate adverse post-divorce outcomes.