Extensive Research Indicates That Depression Frequently Accompanies the
Holiday; Men and Women Respond Differently to the Phenomenon
DALLAS, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- In order to assess the validity of
"Valentine's Day Blues," TRUEBeginnings co-sponsored what has been described
as the world's most comprehensive scientific study of the phenomenon, which
concludes that single men and women do in fact experience heightened feelings
of psychological distress in connection with Valentine's Day. To execute the
study, TRUEBeginnings, a new kind of online relationship service that takes
the time-consuming guesswork out of online dating by providing a smarter, more
scientific approach to compatibility, worked in partnership with Queendom.com,
an online psychological testing center dedicated to providing an interactive
avenue for self-exploration with a healthy dose of fun.
Careful examination of the scientific data collected by the test concludes
that adults who reportedly did not participate in or receive gifts or other
tokens of affection in connection with Valentine's Day do exhibit signs of
emotional stress, ranging from mild depression to noticeable anxiety. These
symptoms, which were collected on a cross-sectional basis for up to four weeks
after the holiday, affect men and women in different ways. Whereas the
Valentine's Day-related stress experienced by men decreases gradually and
seems to disappear after a maximum of three weeks, similar depression
experienced by women tends to increase over time and lasts for as many as four
weeks after Valentine's Day.
Spearheaded by Dr. James Houran, director of psychological studies at
TRUEBeginnings and a 14-year veteran in the field of research and clinical
psychology, and Ilona Jerabek, an award-winning psychologist with a history of
dedication to the fields of psychology and clinical studies, the study set out
to determine whether commercial and societal norms surrounding Valentine's Day
in Westernized societies have a detrimental impact on the psychological
well-being of adult singles who are not involved in romantic relationships.
"The results of this study are not surprising: adults who do not receive
special attention related to Valentine's Day tend to be more distressed
following the holiday than do those who receive gifts, cards or other gestures
of affection," said Houran. "The confluence of societal and commercial
pressure to participate in Valentine's Day creates a level of stress which can
be emotionally exhausting. Among other things, we are hopeful that our
findings will draw attention to the occurrence of 'Valentine's Day Blues,'
helping adults to better understand the phenomenon and develop a healthy
emotional response to the feelings it triggers."
The study, conducted between two and four weeks after February 14, 2004,
draws on responses gathered from 2,055 single adults. Participants in the
study, of whom approximately 50 per cent were women, responded to fifty
questions about the emotions, thoughts, and behaviors they experienced this
past Valentine's Day, in addition to some non-intrusive background questions
about the status of their present romantic relationships. In addition to
determining that both men and women show signs of depression in the weeks
following Valentine's Day, the results of the study conclude that women are
impacted to a greater extent, exhibiting more noticeable signs of distress for
a longer period of time. The findings also indicate that women tend to show
more signs of depression in general, regardless of Valentine's Day-related
attention received.
The survey is part of TRUEBeginnings' ongoing effort to conduct, analyze
and release up-to-date scientific data about relationships and online dating.
Not only is TRUEBeginnings the only online relationship-building service that
is endorsed by Psychology Today, it also publishes its research in such
prominent academic journals as the British Journal of Psychology, Personality
and Individual Differences and Psychological Reports.
About TRUEBeginnings
TRUEBeginnings, the Dallas-based online relationship-building service, was
established in 2003 specifically to help singles in the US find a compatible
partner with whom to build a meaningful, successful, and lasting relationship.
Founded on the premise that compatibility is the key long-lasting
relationships, the company has invested millions of dollars in research and
development to deliver quality results to its members via its proprietary
patent pending TRUE Compatibility Test. The TRUE Compatibility Index which is
generated by this test helps members to discover themselves as well as find
partners who are truly compatible. TRUEBeginnings is unique in being the only
site to offer its members peace of mind when searching for perfect partners
because it screens and excludes individuals with known criminal backgrounds.
For more information, log on to http://www.truebeginnings.com.
About Queendom.com
Queendom.com is an online magazine dedicated to providing an interactive
avenue for self-exploration with a healthy dose of fun. Since its beginnings
in 1996, Queendom's creative team has shared a common vision -- to create a
special relationship with the readers. The result is clear: Queendom.com is
now ranked #1 on the web in the Mental Health and Psychology category.
Queendom's most recognized and appreciated feature is its extensive battery of
accurate in-depth psychological tests. But Queendom is much more that the
largest online psychological testing center. In addition to expert advice and
tips, scientific articles and health information, and a community bursting
with life, the site offers an endless source of interactive learning tools.
All in all, Queendom is about exploring what it means to be human.
For further information, please contact Alex Clark of Ogilvy Public
Relations Worldwide, +1-310-248-6119, alex.clark@ogilvypr.com, for
TRUEBeginnings.
SOURCE TRUEBeginnings
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Related links:
http://www.truebeginnings.com
CONTACT:
Alex Clark of Ogilvy Public Relations
Worldwide, +1-310-248-6119, alex.clark@ogilvypr.com, for
TRUEBeginnings
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