Traditional Masculinity and Men's Psychological Help-Seeking: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Men are less likely than women to seek professional help for mental health issues. One significant factor linked to men's lower rates of psychological help-seeking is traditional masculinity. This research presents meta-analyses of the associations between men's attitudes and self-stigma toward psychological help-seeking and masculinity ideology and gender role conflict across 35 samples. It is found that a higher endorsement of traditional masculinity is correlated with negative attitudes toward psychological help-seeking, r = −0.379, p < 0.001, and higher self-stigma of psychological help-seeking, r = 0.351, p < 0.001. Similarly, higher gender role conflict is correlated with negative attitudes toward psychological help-seeking, r = −0.211, p < 0.001, and higher self-stigma of psychological help-seeking, r = 0.300, p < 0.001. The scale used to measure traditional masculinity, country (US/non-US) and the sample type (community/college) did not moderate these relationships. These results support the Gender Role Strain Paradigm's conceptualization of the association between traditional masculinity and men's psychological help-seeking.