Dear Colleagues,

Race, gender, class, and place determine epidemiology of depression in two main ways namely Differential Exposures and Differential Effects. According to the Differential Exposures hypothesis, social groups differ in exposure to a wide range of risk and protective factors such as stress, poverty, and social support. In this view, differential distribution of risk and protective factors explain why social groups differ in prevalence and course of depression. According to this hypothesis, differential exposure to stress at least partially mediates the group differences in depression. According to Differential Effects hypothesis, race, gender, class, and place alter the effects of risk and protective factors across social groups. Based on this hypothesis, social groups differ in the direction or magnitude of the effects of risk and protective factors on depression.

Some theoretical and empirical work have provided some insights regarding these complex effects. Differential exposure to stress, financial distress, coping, and rumination may partially explain gender differences in depression. Stress may also interact with gender, as men and women differently respond to depression. Class is associated with differential distribution of exposure to stress and social support. Class may also alter vulnerability to stress, coping, and stress response.  Finally, racial minority populations differ in their exposure and vulnerability to stress.

The results of this line of research have considerable implications for research, policy, and practice. Results will extend the field of health disparities by introducing new mechanisms behind disparities in depression. The result may advocate for local rather than universal policies and programs. The results may also support tailored interventions that address specific needs of each socio-demographic group (e.g., based on the intersection of race, gender, class, and place). Better understanding between- and within-group heterogeneities in causes and consequences of depression may help reduce burden of depression.

The Special Issue "Social Determinants of Depression: Differential Effects versus Differential Exposures" invites researchers and scholars to submit their state-of-the-art original and review articles on these topics. Potential papers of interest include: 1) studies decomposing differential exposure and differential vulnerability; 2) studies testing multiplicative rather than separate or additive effects; 3) studies that compare countries or regions within countries; 4) studies that test moderated mediation models of disparities; 5) studies on tailored interventions for sub-populations; 6) studies with national sampling, 7) studies using longitudinal design; 8) studies using intersectionality framework; and 8) studies on theory, measurement, and methods.

Dr. Shervin Assari
Guest Editor

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• race
• gender
• class
• place
• social determinants
• depression