LE3 .A278 2004

2004

Horvath, Peter

Acadia University

Master of Science

Masters

Psychology

Psychology

The aim of this study was to examine the perceptions of community service providers concerning the resources and services available to depressed women in Kings and Hants Counties, Nova Scotia. Representatives from community and volunteer organizations (N = 37) were interviewed to gain knowledge about their perceptions of the causes, prevention, and treatment of depression and the services they could offer to women in their community. The interviews were taped and subjected to content and thematic analyses. The results from this study confirmed that resources are perceived to be available in the community that coincide with an environmental model of treatment, and that organizations are willing to coordinate these services to meet the needs of depressed women. However, even though representatives viewed the prevention services from an environmental perspective, they viewed the treatment services available to these women from a medical/deficit model perspective. In addition, there was a discrepancy between the way representatives viewed the causes of depression and the services used to treat it. Representatives viewed the causes of depression in women from an environmental perspective, but viewed the treatment of depression from a more traditional, medical/deficit approach. Possible explanations for this contradiction are discussed.

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