Social and economic causes of depression.

Depression is a serious problem for women, one that is, in some cases, related to the sociocultural environment. This article posits that events and processes in the environment can interfere with an individual's effort to fulfill life goals, thereby creating the potential for depression. Both the number and the character of these disruptive events and processes contribute to the likelihood of developing illness. Women with high numbers of events that are characterized by humiliation, entrapment, and bereavement, for example, will be at high risk for depression. The psychosocial management of the environmental contribution to depression is explored.