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Group Differences between men with and without Experienced Status loss Note. month = in the past month, life = during lifetime, two weeks = in the past two weeks. a PHQ-9 = Patient Health Questionnaire – 9; b MDRS-22 = Male Depression Risk Scale – 22; c BSRI (m) = Bem Sex-Role Inventory (m = masculinity subscale); d MRNI = Male Role Norms Inventory; e GRCS = Gender Role Conflict Scale * =p<.05,**=p<.01,***=p<.001
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is causing extensive job loss leading to a loss of social status in many men. Endorsement of traditional masculinity ideology may render some men particularly sensitive to status loss and thereby to an increased risk for suicidality. Methods: In this anonymous online survey conducted in German-speaking European cou...
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The COVID-19 pandemic is causing extensive job loss leading to a loss of social status in many men. Endorsement of traditional masculinity ideology may render some men particularly sensitive to status loss and thereby to an increased risk for suicidality. In this anonymous online survey conducted in German-speaking European countries, 490 men compl...
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... With this caveat in mind, it is important to note that the behaviors exemplified when responding to loss did not display a strong pattern; for example, accepting physical comfort (n = 5; for example when Nakia holds T'Challa's hand after learning his father had died in Black Panther) was almost as frequent as responding with violence (n = 4; for example, when Tony Stark discovers that the Winter Soldier killed his parents and tries to fight him in Captain America: The Winter Solider). Interestingly, there is no clear pattern depicted in a "masculine" way to respond to loss, perhaps conveying that there is no set approach for responding to loss (e.g., Walther et al., 2021). ...
Men seek help for problems less often and more hesitantly than women across a wide range of contexts. While there are many potential sources for this gender discrepancy, one possibility is that masculine attitudes and behaviors discourage help-seeking behaviors and create help-seeking barriers. As the superhero genre often changes over time to reflect current social attitudes, the current study explores patterns, contexts, and rewards of help-seeking behaviors portrayed by men in a genre of media frequently consumed by men: superhero films. Twenty-three Marvel Cinematic Universe films were coded for superhero men’s help-seeking behaviors, as well as patterns in context and outcomes around help seeking. Overall, we found that superhero men displayed the help-seeking behaviors of approaching problems and collaboration with others most often, followed by the maladaptive coping strategy violence. In addition, help-seeking behaviors were most often displayed when the superhero was acting in his personal/self, capacity and superhero men were most often confronted with physical problems. Furthermore, we found that most of the help-seeking behaviors coded were rewarded only about half of the time. Finally, we found several differences in patterns of help-seeking displayed by various specific heroes. Other patterns and implications are discussed.
... Men and women differ with regard to the prevalence of several mental disorders with women showing higher rates in depressive disorders, somatoform disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders [1][2][3][4][5][6], while men show higher rates in substance use disorders and especially in alcohol use disorders [7,8]. Furthermore, men show up to four-fold increased suicide rates and appear to be particularly vulnerable to commit suicide when facing economic or social losses [9,10]. This is in line with reports suggesting that overall men and women experience similar levels of psychological distress and mental disorders [11], yet men use psychotherapy about 30% less than women [12][13][14][15][16]. Whether this pattern differs with regard to differing psychological syndromes is, however, insufficiently studied. ...
Attachment anxiety and avoidance might explain gender differences in psychotherapy use, which is generally lower in men. In addition, university students are a particularly vulnerable group for mental health problems, and understanding psychotherapy use, especially among mentally distressed male students, is pivotal. A total of 4894 students completed an online survey answer- ing questions regarding psychotherapy use and completing the PHQ-D identifying psychological syndromes. In addition, the ECR-RD12 was used to measure attachment anxiety and avoidance. Significant gender differences for attachment anxiety and avoidance emerged, showing higher attach- ment anxiety in female students and higher attachment avoidance in male students. Male students used psychotherapy significantly less than female students. Male students’ attachment anxiety and avoidance predicted psychotherapy use, while for female students, only attachment anxiety emerged as a significant predictor. Attachment anxiety is positively associated with psychotherapy use, and lower attachment anxiety in men may explain lower psychotherapy use in male students.
... The current study also showed that externalizing depression symptoms, alongside prototypical depression symptoms, provided incremental explanatory value for psychologically distressed men's psychotherapy use, emphasizing the importance of a broad assessment of men's depression symptoms by considering externalizing symptom presentation. Since endorsement of TMI as well as externalizing depression symptoms have been linked with increased suicidal ideations and suicide attempts among men (Coleman et al., 2020;Rice et al., 2018;Walther, Grub, Tsar, et al., 2021)heterosexual-identified men with strong TMI and masked prototypical depression symptoms emerge as a subgroup with a particularly high risk for suicide and suicidal ideations. ...
... Because stronger endorsement of TMI and high externalizing depression symptoms have been previously linked with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among men (Coleman et al., 2020;Rice et al., 2018;Walther, Grub, Tsar, et al., 2021), these findings bear great clinical relevance as to recognize heterosexual-identified men with strong TMI and high externalizing symptoms as a high-risk group for intervention strategies and treatment policies. Note. ...
Heterosexual-identified men, as compared to non-heterosexual-identified men, are less likely to seek out psychotherapy when experiencing psychological distress. Stronger endorsement of traditional masculinity ideologies (TMI) has been reported to be associated with reduced psychotherapy use among men. However, the relationship between psychotherapy use, TMI, and sexual orientation needs to be explored. A total of 728 psychologically distressed men (59.9% heterosexual-identified, 40.1% non-heterosexual-identified) from German-speaking parts of Europe completed an online questionnaire asking about current psychotherapy use, endorsement of TMI, experienced gender role conflict (GRC), prototypical depression symptoms, and externalizing depression symptoms. In total 34.5% (n = 251) of the men were currently using psychotherapy, of which 47.4% (n = 119) identified as heterosexual and 52.6% (n = 132) as non-heterosexual. Heterosexual-identified men used psychotherapy less than non-heterosexual-identified men, while exhibiting lower prototypical depression symptoms but comparable externalizing depression symptoms. Additionally, heterosexual-identified men exhibited higher endorsement of TMI across all domains and experienced more masculine GRC, especially in the domains Success Concerns and Restricted Affection. Endorsement of TMI was associated with increased externalizing depression symptoms only among heterosexual-identified men. Logistic regression analyses showed stronger endorsement of TMI, increased externalizing depression symptoms, and identifying as heterosexual to be associated with reduced psychotherapy use. Men identifying as heterosexual with strong endorsement of TMI, and high externalizing depression symptoms have a reduced likelihood to use psychotherapy. Thus, challenging TMI and advocating for alternative masculinities that include health promoting behavior can especially help heterosexual-identified men with strong TMI.
... Men's concern for passing COVID-19 to vulnerable others likely reflects normative protector traditions, where men are socialized to prioritize the welfare of others above their own (Courtenay, 2000). The finding that men were also commonly concerned about their own health regarding COVID-19 appears to contradict the narrative in past research that positions health risk behaviors as fundamental in demonstrating one's status as a "real" man (Levant & Wimer, 2014;Walther et al., 2021), where some men are identified as reticent to engage in preventive behaviors such as wearing masks and regular hand-washing (Mahalik et al., 2021), likely due to perceiving the pandemic as less serious relative to women (Gallasso et al., 2020). The message from the current data (i.e., that some men do see COVID as a realistic point of anxiety and are enacting measures to protect themselves and others), relative to the message from sex-differences research that tends to homogenize men as an unconcerned and careless group, reiterates the importance of withingender research to be able to understand which men are more or less likely to see COVID as a legitimate health risk and comply with protective public-health strategies. ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a suite of circumstances that will simultaneously affect mental health and mobilize coping strategies in response. Building on a lack of research specifically exploring men's mental health impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study presents the results of a qualitative survey exploring men's self-reported aspects of the pandemic giving rise to mental health challenges, alongside their diverse coping strategies applied during this time. The sample comprised 555 men from North America (age M = 38.8 years; SD = 13.5 years), who participated via an online survey with two open-ended qualitative questions assessing, respectively, the aspects of the pandemic affecting their mental health, and the strategies used to manage these challenges. Free-text responses were coded using inductive content analysis. Results pertaining to the mental health impacts of COVID-19 were categorized into two overarching themes: far-reaching ramifications of COVID-19 encompassing consequences for lifestyle, work, and functioning, alongside novel anxieties related to health risks and daily uncertainty. In addition, coping strategies reported were categorized into two broad themes: efforts to avoid, dull or distract oneself from distress, alongside adapting and doing things differently, which encompassed largely approach-oriented efforts to flexibly ameliorate distress. Results signal the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19, alongside profound flexibility and diverse enactments of resilience among men in adapting to unprecedented challenges. Findings have implications for mental health promotion that should aim to leverage men's adaptive coping to encourage opportunities for social connectedness in response to the mental health impacts of the various psychosocial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
... A meta-analytic investigation revealed that conformity to traditional masculine norms is associated with overall worse mental health outcomes and reduced help-seeking [20]. Moreover, studies indicate traditional masculinity to be associated with delayed therapy initiation [21] and increased risk for suicide [22,23]. However, more recently, positive and health promoting aspects of traditional masculinity are being recognized [24]. ...
... However, several participants went on to participate in further online experiments following the completion of initial questionnaires, which are beyond the scope of this report. Further information on the study is provided elsewhere [22] or on the preregistration in OSF: "osf-link". ...
... A previous study from our workgroup examining adult men's psychotherapy use found that only higher male-typical externalized depression symptoms, but not prototypical depression symptoms, predicted lower psychotherapy use [21]. Similarly, male-typical externalizing and prototypical depression symptoms were shown to differ in predicting a past-month suicide attempt [22,66]. These findings support the notion that internalizing and externalizing psychopathology are differentially related to health behavior risk and specifically to the risk of contracting COVID-19. ...
In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and claims that traditional masculinity may put some men at increased risk for infection, research reporting men’s health behaviors is critically important. Traditional masculine norms such as self-reliance and toughness are associated with a lower likelihood to vaccinate or follow safety restrictions. Furthermore, infection risk and traditional masculinity should be investigated in a differentiated manner including gender role orientation, underlying traditional masculine ideologies and male gender role conflict. In this pre-registered online survey conducted during March/April 2021 in German-speaking countries in Europe, 490 men completed questionnaires regarding contracting COVID-19 as confirmed by a validated test, fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S), and experience of psychological burden due to COVID-19. In addition, depression symptomatology was assessed by using prototypical internalizing and male-typical externalizing depression symptoms. Furthermore, self-identified masculine gender orientation, endorsement of traditional masculinity ideologies, and gender role conflict were measured. A total of 6.9% of men (n = 34) reported having contracted COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Group comparisons revealed that men who had contracted COVID-19 exhibited higher overall traditional masculine ideology and gender role conflict. Logistic regression controlling for confounders (age, income, education, and sexual orientation) indicated that only depression symptoms are independently associated with the risk of having contracted COVID-19. While prototypical depression symptoms were negatively associated with the risk of having contracted COVID-19, male-typical externalizing depression symptoms were positively associated with the risk of contracting COVID-19. For traditional masculinity, no robust association for an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 could be established, while higher male-typical externalizing depression symptoms were associated with an increased risk of contracting COVID-19.
... This is also in line with findings suggesting that prototypical depression measures may not fully recognize depression symptomatology in men, especially those exhibiting strong endorsement of TMI (Fields & Cochran, 2011;Oliffe et al., 2019;Rice et al., 2019), because of fear of being perceived as weak or unmanly (Nadeau et al., 2016;Rice et al., 2013;Rochlen et al., 2009;Seidler et al., 2016;Walther & Seidler, 2020). Since endorsement of TMI as well as externalizing depression symptoms have been linked with increased suicidal ideations and suicide attempts among men (Coleman et al., 2020;Rice et al., 2018;Walther, Grub, Tsar, et al., 2021) these findings bear great clinical relevance regarding suicide prevention and intervention strategies. ...
... Furthermore, positive associations between endorsement of TMI and higher externalizing depression, but not depression symptoms, suggest that depression instruments may not fully recognize depression symptoms among men, particularly among those with strong endorsement of TMI. This bares great clinical 24 importance because both endorsement of TMI and externalizing depression symptoms have been previously linked with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts (Coleman et al., 2020;Rice et al., 2018;Walther, Grub, Tsar, et al., 2021). Finally, the current study found associations between elevated GRC and increased depression symptoms, but no association between GRC and psychotherapy use, suggesting rather the endorsement of TMI as compared to experience of GRC to pose a barrier in men's help-seeking behavior (Ramaeker & Petrie, 2019). ...
Background: Heterosexual-identified men, as compared to non-heterosexual-identified men, are less likely to seek out psychotherapy when experiencing psychological distress. Stronger endorsement of traditional masculinity ideologies (TMI) has been reported to be associated with reduced psychotherapy use among men. However, the relationship between psychotherapy use, TMI, and sexual identity needs to be explored. Methods: A total of 728 psychologically distressed men (59.9% heterosexual-identified, 40.1% non-heterosexual-identified) from German-speaking parts of Europe completed an online questionnaire asking about current psychotherapy use, endorsement of TMI, experienced gender role conflict, depression symptoms, and externalizing depression symptoms. Results: In total 34.5% (N = 251) of the men were currently using psychotherapy, of which 47.4% (N = 119) identified as heterosexual and 52.6% (N = 132) as non-heterosexual. Heterosexual-identified men used psychotherapy significantly less than gay- and bisexual- identified men, while showing comparable psychological distress. Additionally, heterosexual-identified men exhibited higher endorsement of TMI across all domains and experienced more masculine gender role conflict, especially in the domains Success, Power, Competition and Restrictive Affectionate Behavior Between Men. In heterosexual- but not non-heterosexual-identified men, stronger endorsement of TMI was associated with reduced psychotherapy use. Conclusion: Higher endorsement of TMI is linked to reduced psychotherapy use among psychologically distressed heterosexual-identified men. Thus, challenging TMI and advocating for alternative masculinities that include health promoting behavior can especially help heterosexual-identified men.
