Adherence to Masculine Norms and Attributional Processes Predict Depressive Symptoms in Recently Unemployed Men

Abstract

We investigated individual differences in adherence to masculine norms (AMN) as predictors of concurrent and prospective depressive symptoms above and beyond negative attributional style and explanatory flexibility in a community sample of unemployed men. Sixty-two men from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds were recruited from an unemployment center in a large industrial city and were followed for 3 months. Adherence to the specific masculine norms of emotional control and self-reliance accounted for variance in concurrent depressive symptoms after statistically controlling for attributional processes. At the 3-month follow-up, only AMN predicted depressive symptoms after accounting for attributional processes and initial depressive symptoms. Negative attributional style was negatively associated with the likelihood of reemployment at the 3-month follow-up while AMN was positively associated with the likelihood reemployment. Results suggested that AMN may be an important sociocultural factor contributing to depression that is largely independent of attributional processes.

Retirement, age, gender and mental health: findings from the 45 and Up Study

“…Community participation may be able to assist with mental health in the transition to retirement (Olesen & Berry, 2011). On the other hand, men may be influenced by traditional societal expectations of gender roles, and seen as the main provider and work achievements considered of paramount importance (Syzdek & Addis, 2010). Not conforming to societal expectations of retirement age may be a burden experienced most heavily by those who prematurely leave the workforce and as such, this may be a contributing factor to the higher prevalence of a high level of psychological distress among men who retire earlier.…”

“…Retired men were also more likely to report this reason for retirement than retired women. Other authors have also noted that poor physical health is a common factor influencing retirement, particularly at earlier ages (Alavinia & Burdorf, 2008;Beehr, Glazer, Neilson, & Farmer, 2000;Cai & Kalb, 2006;Olesen et al, 2012;van den Berg, Elders, & Burdorf, 2010), and the likelihood of earlier retirement increases along with the number of chronic illnesses (Yen, McRae, Jeon, Essue, & Herath, 2011).…”

Concepções da masculinidade: suas associações com os valores e a honra

“…Homens que apresentam maior internalização de estereótipos masculinos tradicionais (ex. : força, dominância, agressão, maior experiência sexual) tendem a apresentar comportamentos sexuais de risco, tais como sexo casual, maior número de parceiros e baixo índice de uso de camisinha (Murnen, Wright, & Kaluzny, 2002); maior nível de consumo de álcool (Capraro, 2000;Olmstead, Pasley, & Finchman, 2013); comportamentos de bullying e homofobia (Poteat, Kimmel & Wilchins, 2011); uso de coerção e abuso sexual com mulheres (Giordano, Longmore & Manning, 2006); buscar menos ajuda médica em caso de doenças físicas ou mentais (Galdas, Cheater & Marshall, 2005); e sintomas depressivos (Syzdek & Addis, 2010), entre outros.…”

Masculine Traits and Depressive Symptoms in Older and Younger Men and Women

“…Gender role conflict has been identified as a consistent risk factor for typical depressive symptoms and other negative psychological outcomes (O'Neil, 2008). Hegemonic masculinity was reported to be positively associated with typical depressive symptoms in men (Syzdek & Addis, 2010), but Magovcevic and Addis (2008) reported no relation. Masculine traits, such as those included on the Bem Sex Role Inventory, were associated with fewer depressive symptoms in young women but were unrelated in young men (Lengua & Stormshak, 2000).…”