Typical ‘blokes’ who see themselves as competitive, dominant playboys ‘at greater risk of depression’
BEING "one of the lads"; could put blokes at greater risk of suffer mental health problems, experts warned today.
Those who conform to masculine "norms" - describing themselves as competitive, dominant playboys - are more likely to suffer depression, and worryingly, are less likely to seek help.
Risk-taking, sexual promiscuity and seeking power over women were also traits found to put lads at risk.
Dr Y. Joel Wong, of Indiana University, said: "In general, individuals who conformed to strongly masculine norms tended to have poorer mental health and less favourable attitudes toward seeking psychological help, although the results differed depending on specific types of masculine norms."
To arrive at their findings, published by the American Psychological Association, researchers examined almost 20,000 men, focusing on 11 "typical" masculine traits:
- desire to win
- need for emotional control
- risk-taking
- violence
- dominance
- playboy - sexual promiscuity
- self-reliance
- primacy of work - the importance placed on a person's job
- power over women
- disdain for homosexuality
- pursuit of status
The researchers focused on three mental health outcomes; negative mental health, depression for example, positive mental health or life satisfaction and seeking psychological help, or counselling services.
Individuals who conformed to strongly masculine norms tended to have poorer mental health
Dr Y. Joel Wong
While all typical "lads" were found to be at greater risk for mental health issues, the researchers found particular traits put a bloke at greatest risk.
They were self-reliance, the pursuit of playboy behaviour, and power over women.
Dr Wong said: "The masculine norms of playboy and power over women are the norms most closely associated with sexist attitudes.
"The robust association between conformity to these two norms and negative mental health-related outcomes underscores the idea that sexism is not merely a social injustice, but may also have a detrimental effect on the mental health of those who embrace such attitudes."
He said, what was even more concerning, was the fact men who strongly conform to a typically "masculine norm" are not only more likely to suffer mental health issues, they are also less likely to seek treatment for them.
Meanwhile, Dr Wong said one of the 11 traits was linked to both negative and positive mental health outcomes - risk-taking.
He said it suggests that taking risks in life can have both positive and negative psychological consequences.
The findings are published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology.