The Effectiveness of Gender Role Re-Evaluation and Non-Gender-Focused Group Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Recently Separated Men

The Integrity Model

“…O’Neil (1982) proposed that men who experience gender role strain have adopted the values of “the masculine mystique” (p. 8), expressed through six patterns of gender role conflict and strain: (a) restrictive emotionality; (b) restrictive sexual and affectionate behaviour; (c) homophobia; (d) socialized control, power, and competition issues; (e) obsession with achievement and success; and (f) health care problems. Nahon and Lander (1992, 2008, 2010, 2011) suggested that this model has become deeply ingrained in current conceptualizations of men and their potentials—or lack thereof—for emotional expression, help-seeking, and positive therapeutic change. Fischer and Good (1997) pointed to men’s “press for devaluation of emotional intimacy in romantic relationships” (p. 161).…”

“…Nahon and Lander (1998) have referred to this pessimistic and pejorative view of men in the literature with respect to men’s capacity for emotional relatedness and their likelihood to seek psychological help when needed as the myth of the “emotionally defective male” (p. 16; Nahon & Lander, 2008). Nahon and Lander’s (2008, 2010, 2011, 2014) reviews of the literature indicate that a number of empirical studies have pointed to the presence of a negative bias in the attitudes of therapists with respect to male clients. Englar-Carlson, Evans, and Duffey (2014a) suggested that a counselor’s bias in working with men .…”

“…Nahon and Lander’s (2008, 2010) report on the results of the first randomized investigation of men’s consciousness-raising groups and gender role re-evaluation psychotherapy groups for men points to significant changes in emotional expression, self- and other-orientation, and psychological well-being, maintained at 6-week follow-up. The majority of the variance noted for the self-and-other orientation cluster was accounted for by the Capacity for Intimate Contact (Shostrom, 1974).…”

“…The authors concluded the following: The fact that these facets of psychological functioning were able to undergo significant changes without either the need for a communication skills training program, or the necessary inclusion of an overt consciousness-raising component would suggest that these skills may be more accessible in men’s behavioural repertoire than the bulk of the literature had previously considered. (Nahon & Lander, 2010, p. 121)…”

“…Mowrer’s early community-based Integrity groups from the 1950s to the mid-1980s with men grappling with addictions and relational crises, as well as with impaired male physicians revealed that men were profoundly self-aware, expressive, and insightful (Mowrer, 1964). Beginning with Lander’s group work with boys in the late 1960s (Lander, 1986), results of empirical and clinical research have indicated that the Integrity model provides a viable approach in working with boys and men in community practice, tertiary care, and academic settings through individual (Nahon & Lander, 2014), couple (Lander & Nahon, 2000a), and group psychotherapy (e.g., Lander, 1986; Nahon & Lander, 1992, 2008, 2010, 2013) in addressing a number of issues including relationship issues and marital breakdown, post-traumatic stress, work-related stress, severe mental illness and addictions, sexual identity, sexual dysfunction, spirituality, end of life issues, cultural diversity, and health promotion for men (e.g., Lander & Nahon, 2000b, 2008a, 2008b, 2010a, 2010b, 2015; Nahon, 1986, 1993; Nahon & Lander, 1992, 1998, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014).…”