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Tailoring psychological treatments to men’s specific needs has been a topic of concern for decades given evidence that many men are reticent to seek professional health care. However, existing literature providing clinical recommendations for engaging men in psychological treatments is diffuse. The aim of this scoping review was to provide a comprehensive summary of recommendations for how to engage men in psychological treatment. Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO) were searched for articles published between 2000 and 2017. Titles and abstracts were reviewed; data extracted and synthesized thematically. Of 3,627 citations identified, 46 met the inclusion criteria. Thirty articles (65%) were reviews or commentaries; 23 (50%) provided broad recommendations for working with all men. Findings indicate providing male-appropriate psychological treatment requires clinicians to consider the impact of masculine socialization on their client and themselves, and how gender norms may impact clinical engagement and outcomes. Existing literature also emphasized specific process micro-skills (e.g., self-disclosure, normalizing), language adaption (e.g., male-oriented metaphors) and treatment styles most engaging for men (e.g., collaborative, transparent, action-oriented, goal-focused). Presented are clinical recommendations for how to engage men in psychological treatments including paying attention to tapping the strengths of multiple masculinities coexisting within and across men. Our review suggests more empirically informed tailored interventions are needed, along with formal program evaluations to advance the evidence base.

It is well understood that men are reticent in seeking help for mental health concerns. In the wake of government-funded campaigns across many Western nations that have sought to address this, noticeably absent have been the active development, promotion, dissemination, and rigorous evaluation of male-centered treatment styles. We argue that next-generation approaches must actively counteract unhelpful stereotypes, instead promoting diverse and healthy masculinities. The current article makes the case for the development of a masculinities model of mental health care, offering recommendations to advance clinical practice and research toward this goal. We propose that updated help-seeking campaigns and clinician training, gender-sensitive service provision, and comprehensive cost analyses will provide the groundwork for such a model to better target the diversity in men and reduce any reluctance to engage with mental health treatment.

Objective: While the prevalence of major depressive disorder continues to rise, many men are reticent to seek and sustain psychotherapy. The current study explored Australian men's experiences with treatment for depression with a view to guiding recommendations for improving treatment engagement. Method: Twenty men (23-64 years) who had received psychotherapy for depressive symptoms in the past 3 years took part in individual, semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded in line with interpretive descriptive methodologies. Results: Findings suggested men's preference for a transparent orientation to treatment, including the provision of a clear structure for therapy. Men's preferred structure included focusing on individualised goals and expected progress, establishment of trust, and a sharing of decisional control. Providing an action-oriented functional treatment with targeted skills attainment was recommended as most engaging. The focus on "doing" in treatment, as distinct from pure talk therapy, engendered feelings of strength and empowerment in the men, bridging self-management of symptoms and wellness. Most participants, however, did not receive a treatment style that properly engaged them, and articulated clear recommendations for changes needed. Conclusions: Findings highlight the potential for development and dissemination of gender sensitive, strength-based clinical training and treatment options for better engaging men in psychotherapy for depression.As a cross-institutional and cross-continental research team, the authors of this manuscript make up a unique mix of early, mid-career and longtime leading experts in the men's mental health field. This team was responsible for the first systematic review of the area and continues aiming for rigorous, innovative empirical contributions.Additional supporting information may be found in the online version of this article at the publisher's website: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi//suppinfo. Appendix S1. Qualitative Interview Schedule-Men with Depression Study. ZE Seidler et al.Engaging men in treatment for depression Australian Psychologist 53 (2018) 405-415

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