40. NEGATIVE BELIEFS OF AGING AND BELIEFS OF MASCULINITY: THE IMPACT ON OLDER ADULT MEN'S WELL-BEING

Abstract

Introduction

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between beliefs of masculinity and depression in older adult men, with the purpose to inform research about factors that contribute to older adult men’s suicide risk. Although research about older men's mental health is scarce, it has been suggested that hegemonic masculinity beliefs may be a risk factor of suicide in older adult men (Pattyn et al., 2015; Smith et al., 2007). The Health, Illness, Men, and Masculinity (HIMM) framework suggests that one's beliefs of masculinity may factor into the health and wellness of adult men (Evans et al., 2011). Negative perception of aging has also been seen to lead to negative physical and mental health outcomes older adult men or women (Levy, 2009; Levy et al, 2023). Stereotype content theory suggests that as men age, they are likely to experience a shift from others seeing him through a lens of jealousy and envy to then through a lens of pity and sympathy (Fiske, 2018). It is then hypothesized that older adult men who have a negative perception of aging and a high adherence to masculine beliefs would have the most negative outcomes, physically and mentally.

Methods

Participants were men aged 60 years and older who lived in southern states. They were primarily White (87%), had some college credit (28%), married (61%), and retired (71%). Participants who fully completed the survey were provided compensation with gift cards or other items of value (i.e., airplane miles, gas points) that equal a value of $5 to $10.

536 participants indicated informed consent. Participants were excluded from analyses if they were under the age of 60 years old (n = 108), completed less than 50% of the survey (n = 35), or did not respond to any items on the Masculine Behaviors Scale (n = 30).

The survey participants completed was about 100 items long. Of the scales included, the Masculine Behavior Scale (MBS) is a 20-item scale that asks how many stereotypical masculine behaviors one participates in. The scale has four subscales: restrictive emotionality, inhibited affection, success dedication, and exaggerated self-reliance (Snell, 1989). Participants were also asked to complete Attitudes Toward Aging Questionnaire, a 24-item scale that evaluates thoughts about aging in three factors: psychological growth, psychosocial loss, and physical change (Laidlaw et. al., 2007). The psychosocial loss subscale focuses on psychological and social losses in aging, and higher scores would assume an individual views aging as negative. Lastly, the Short Form Health Survey – 12 (SF-12) was used to evaluate participants' perception of their overall health and their abilities within the last month through its two factors: physical component summary (PCS-12) and mental component summary (MCS-12). A cutoff score of 50 or less on the PCS-12 factor indicates a physical health condition, and a score of 42 or less on the MCS-12 factor indicates clinical depression (Shah and Brown, 2020).

Results

Moderation Analyses

The interaction between AAQ - PSL and MBS was significant (β = -.01, t = -3.12, p < .002), suggesting that the effect of AAQ - PSL on MCS12 depended on MBS scores, or the number of masculine behaviors one endorsed. Together, the variables accounted for approximately 4.3% of the variance in depression scores, F(3, 360) = 5.38, p <.001.

Conclusions

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between internalized aging, masculinity beliefs, and depression in older adult men to inform research about factors that put older adult men at risk for suicide. Our hypothesis was formed using the HIMM framework, which suggests that masculinity may play a major role in the health and well-being of older adult men (Evans et al., 2011). The results supported our hypothesis, showing that beliefs about masculinity moderated the relationship between holding negative attitudes toward aging and depression symptoms. The results suggest that those who highly value masculinity and have negative perceptions of aging have the highest reports of depression symptoms. It may be of benefit for geriatric healthcare providers to allow discussions of perceptions of aging and masculinity standards to occur with their patients. Research suggests that implicit messaging can have positive, long-lasting effects on individuals' perceptions of aging (Levy et.al., 2014). Future research should evaluate if improving older adult men's perceptions of aging or masculinity standards could decrease their experience of depression.