Men’s Work-Related Stress and Mental Health: Illustrating the Workings of Masculine Role Norms

Abstract

Although a strong relationship between employment and men’s mental health has been identified, theoretical linkages between masculinity, employment, and mental health are not well developed and mental health supports that account for gender and employment are correspondingly inadequate. The purpose of this study is to contribute to theoretical understandings of men’s employment-related mental health experience and raise possibilities for gender-responsive employer supports for men’s mental health. Specifically, this study is a secondary analysis of narrative accounts from 18 men employed in male-dominated occupations about their employment-related mental health. Results of this study present evidence of processes by which theoretical concepts of masculine role norms influence work-related stress and mental health including: (a) injunctive norms, which operate through an internal sense of the cultural “shoulds” and “should nots”; (b) descriptive norms, which are communicated through the behaviors that a man sees other men enacting in his immediate environment; and (c) cohesive norms, which exert influence through observations of how men who are leaders, behave. Men’s insights into the complexity of employment-related stress and mental health according to masculine role norms related to work demands and leadership modeling and messaging are discussed. This study concludes with potential ways forward for employer support for men’s mental health.

Masculinity norms and occupational role orientations in men treated for depression

“…These results underline the interconnectedness between masculinity concepts and occupational role orientations for male mental health [36]. In western societies professional success and social status are core elements of the traditional male gender role [37].…”

Masculinidades e sofrimento mental: do cuidado singular ao enfrentamento do machismo?

“…Apesar de ter-se percebido uma tendência entre os autores de relacionar padrões hegemônicos de masculinidade a efeitos negativos sobre a saúde mental de homens 15,16,19,20 , observou-se também uma tendência que pode ser entendida como de relativização ou até de oposição a essa visão [21][22][23][24][25] . Destaca-se o trabalho realizado por Wong et al 22 que, a partir de uma perspectiva multidimensional da construção da masculinidade, identificaram que a conformidade com determinadas normatizações em subgrupos específicos de homens pode estar relacionada tanto positiva quanto negativamente com estresse psicológico -há que se dizer que o subgrupo denominado como "tomadores de risco desapegados" (do inglês "detached risk-takers") que está, de forma geral, em confor- 25 para que as atitudes tradicionalmente percebidas como masculinas não sejam automaticamente percebidas como negativas já que, na perspectiva dos autores, algumas dessas características como a de serem "orientados à ação", e "focados em objetivos" poderiam ser úteis no tratamento.…”

Job Satisfaction and Psychological Distress among Help-Seeking Men: Does Meaning in Life Play a Role?

“…There has been growing interest in the promotion of men's mental health, owing in part to the stubbornly high suicide rates observed in men across most parts of the globe [1]. Efforts to better understand the myriad factors that impact men's mental health have shone a light on the role of job satisfaction as a key determinant of men's well-being and mental health [2], but there is a paucity of studies that have further investigated the connection between job satisfaction and mental health among male workers. For the majority of adult men, work is the single activity that occupies most of their waking time.…”