Changes in Conventional Masculinity and Psychological Well-Being among Participants in a Mutual Help Organization for Men

Abstract

The study modeled the theory of a mutual help organization, the ManKind Project, that masculinity harms men’s well-being and that men changing their masculinity through participation in the organization’s mutual help settings will improve well-being. The study hypothesized that conventional masculinity (i.e., adherence to masculine gender role norms and stereotypes) would decrease over time and mediate changes in psychological well-being among 128 U.S. participants in the organization (mid-Atlantic region, highly educated, mostly white, disproportionately gay/bisexual). Participants completed questionnaires once before and 3 times after initiation into the organization. Linear latent growth models fitted to the data showed that conventional masculinity decreased (p < .001) and partially mediated (p < .001) an increase (p < .01) in psychological well-being, supporting the