Question

    Men don't go through pregnancy or childbirth. Their hormone (荷尔蒙) levels don't nosedive. What exactly have they got to be depressed about? Quite a lot, according to research from Sweden showing that, over the past 10 years, a significant number of men have struggled with the transition(过渡) to fatherhood.

This latest research tries to quantify just how many men get postnatal(产后)depression. Previous studies have found between 4% and 10% of men. while, in this smallish sample of 447 Swedish fathers who volunteered (and may therefore not represent your average dad), a surprising 28% of men had symptoms that scored above mild levels of depression. Overall, 4% had moderate depression. Fewer than one in five fathers who were depressed sought help, even though a third of those had thought about harming themselves. While women in the UK are often asked a series of questions that screen for postnatal depression (which affects up to 13% of women), the mental health of fathers is rarely assessed.

The lead author of the Swedish paper, Elisa Psouni, from the department of psychology at Lund University, says the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale(EPDS) used for both women and men is not so accurate in picking up depression in fathers. Her research showed higher levels of depression in dads because it added in a score more reflective of "male" symptoms of depression such as agitation, anger, irritability(易怒), working longer hours and drinking too much.

Depression in fathers may be rising not just because researchers are looking for it, but because more new dads are struggling. Psouni believes fathers increasingly face the same dilemmas that mothers do-including trying to combine parenthood with working Fathers who got depressed often had external pressures, such as job issues, and if their partner was depressed, their own risk of depression doubled. Lack of sleep, having twins and conflict in the relationship can all contribute.

A depressed dad will play and smile less with his child. Children are deeply affected by paternal postnatal depression with studies showing poorer measures of wellbeing and more behavioral problems at the age of seven.

Fathers who sense they may be struggling and partners, relatives or friends who notice an increase in imitability and anxiety in a man in the first year of parenthood (paternal depression is more dispersed throughout the first 12 months) should consider the possibility of paternal postnatal depression.

Cognitive behavioral therapy(认知行为疗法) can help, as can antidepressants. If the depression is not recognised, says Psouni, "one of most terrible things is that you catch up with yourself a year later and realise you have been really down and struggling-and the first year of your child's life has gone.”

1.What is revealed about men according to a Sweden research?

A. They experience a sharp decline in hormone.

B. Many of them suffer from postnatal depression.

C. They seldom go through pregnancy or childbirth

D. Many of them qualify for the transition to fatherhood.

2.What do the statistics in Paragraph 2 indicate?

A. The researchers should invite more Swedish fathers.

B. Over half of Swedish fathers tend to harm themselves.

C. The mental health of fathers deserves more attention.

D. Postnatal depression affects British women more easily.

3.Why did Psouni's research show higher levels of depression in dads?

A. Researchers use a new measure for male symptom of depression.

B. Researchers adopt EPDS to accurately pick up depression in dads.

C. Fathers have trouble in coping with internal and external pressures.

D. Fathers are often faced with the doubled risk of partner depression.

4.What may happen to a father with paternal depression?

A. He may develop terrible behavioral habits.

B. He may avoid being recognized with depression.

C. He may decline cognitive behavioral therapy.

D. He may miss the chance of giving proper childcare.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.A

4.D

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文，介绍了一项瑞典的研究表明很多男性也像女性一样患有产后抑郁症。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段中的“This latest research tries to quantify just how many men get postnatal(产后)depression.”可知，这项最新的研究试图量化有多少男性患有产后抑郁症，由此可知，这项瑞典的研究表明很多男性患有产后抑郁症，故B项正确。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段中的“While women in the UK are often asked a series of questions that screen for postnatal depression (which affects up to 13% of women), the mental health of fathers is rarely assessed.”可知，虽然英国女性经常被问及一系列筛查产后抑郁症的问题（13%的女性受产后抑郁症的影响），但男性的心理健康很少得到评估，这些数据表明男性的心理健康值得更多的关注，故C项正确。

3.细节理解题。根据第三段中的“Her research showed higher levels of depression in dads because it added in a score more reflective of "male" symptoms of depression”可知，Psouni的研究显示男性的抑郁症程度更高是因为这个研究增加了反映男性抑郁症症状的得分，也就是研究人员用了一种新的衡量男性抑郁症症状的方法，故A项正确。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“one of most terrible things is that you catch up with yourself a year later and realise you have been really down and struggling-and the first year of your child's life has gone.”可知，最糟糕的是当有抑郁症的父亲一年后治疗好以后，孩子生命的第一年已经过去了，由此可知，有抑郁症的父亲可能会错过适当照顾孩子的机会，故D项正确。