Relationships Among Depression Symptomatology, Masculine Ideology, and Help-Seeking Attitudes in Adult Cisgender Men: A Moderated Moderation Model
Faculty Mentor
Lisa Samstag
Major/Area of Research
Clinical Psychology
Description
INTRODUCTION: In the United States and other Western countries, men are around three times more likely to die by suicide than women (World Health Organization, 2014). Despite this discrepancy, women in the United States are 1.6 times more likely to seek mental health treatment than their male counterparts (Wang et al., 2005). The current study examined how Traditional Masculine Ideology (TMI) and both internalizing and externalizing depression symptoms interact to influence men’s attitudes towards psychotherapy in the United States.
METHOD: The researchers looked at two aspects of attitudes towards seeking psychotherapy in a sample of adult cisgendered men (N = 245): 1) openness to seeking treatment for emotional problems and perceived value, and 2) need for seeking treatment. Two multiple regressions (moderated moderation models) were conducted to examine the interplay of these variables.
RESULTS: Internalizing depression symptomatology was associated with openness to seeking treatment, while TMI was associated with less openness to seeking treatment. Additionally, the presence of externalizing depression symptomatology was associated with a negative perceived value and need for treatment seeking. Furthermore, TMI inhibited men suffering from traditional depression symptoms (internalizing depression symptomatology) from seeking treatment, as TMI moderated the relationship between internalizing depression symptomatology and perceived value and need in seeking treatment. As TMI levels decreased, men suffering from internalizing symptomatology perceived more value and need in seeking treatment.
CONCLUSION: The findings of this study should be used to understand how masculine gender socialization and prototypical masculine forms of depression (externalizing depression symptomatology) might limit men from seeking treatment, even when experiencing hopelessness.
Relationships Among Depression Symptomatology, Masculine Ideology, and Help-Seeking Attitudes in Adult Cisgender Men: A Moderated Moderation Model
INTRODUCTION: In the United States and other Western countries, men are around three times more likely to die by suicide than women (World Health Organization, 2014). Despite this discrepancy, women in the United States are 1.6 times more likely to seek mental health treatment than their male counterparts (Wang et al., 2005). The current study examined how Traditional Masculine Ideology (TMI) and both internalizing and externalizing depression symptoms interact to influence men’s attitudes towards psychotherapy in the United States.
METHOD: The researchers looked at two aspects of attitudes towards seeking psychotherapy in a sample of adult cisgendered men (N = 245): 1) openness to seeking treatment for emotional problems and perceived value, and 2) need for seeking treatment. Two multiple regressions (moderated moderation models) were conducted to examine the interplay of these variables.
RESULTS: Internalizing depression symptomatology was associated with openness to seeking treatment, while TMI was associated with less openness to seeking treatment. Additionally, the presence of externalizing depression symptomatology was associated with a negative perceived value and need for treatment seeking. Furthermore, TMI inhibited men suffering from traditional depression symptoms (internalizing depression symptomatology) from seeking treatment, as TMI moderated the relationship between internalizing depression symptomatology and perceived value and need in seeking treatment. As TMI levels decreased, men suffering from internalizing symptomatology perceived more value and need in seeking treatment.
CONCLUSION: The findings of this study should be used to understand how masculine gender socialization and prototypical masculine forms of depression (externalizing depression symptomatology) might limit men from seeking treatment, even when experiencing hopelessness.