Gender Role Noncomformity and Perception of Mental Illness

Abstract

The hypothesis that clinicians' perceptions of psychological maladjustment are related to the deviation of symptoms from prevailing gender role stereotypes was explored. Case history descriptions were sent to a random sample of practicing psychologists. These clinicians viewed female patients with "masculine" symptoms (e.g., alcoholism or antisocial behavior) as more psychologically disturbed than males with the same symptoms; they also perceived male patients with "feminine" symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety) as more psychologically disturbed than their female counterparts. Significant main effects for psychologists' sex were found for both the perceived usefulness of drug treatment and prognostic outlook ratings.

Perceptions of Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination in a Mexican American Sample

“…This is driven by perceptions of decreased dangerousness and volatility. Furthermore, studies of health professionals have mirrored the findings reported by the general public in that there appears to be a gender difference in perceptions of evaluators of mental health patients based on the gender of the patient (Waisberg & Page, 1988). Additionally, it was found men and women who suffered from mental health issues, and exhibited symptoms that did not match gender norms, were stigmatized more severely by evaluators than if their symptoms were congruent with gender norms (Prout & Fredrickson, 1991;Rabinowitz & Lukoff, 1995).…”

Extending Role Congruity Theory of Prejudice to Men and Women With Sex-Typed Mental Illnesses

“…Alternatively, people with inconsistent sex and mental illness sex-type (men with a feminine sex-typed illness or women with a masculine sex-typed illness) may be viewed negatively because of the gender role deviance implied by such inconsistency (e.g., Baskin, Sommers, Tessler, & Steadman, 1989;Rosenfield, 1982;Waisberg & Page, 1988). However, Wirth and Bodenhausen (2009) found the opposite effect: Individuals with gender atypical mental illnesses were evaluated more favorably because the illness was seen as more likely to be a genuine, biologically based mental disturbance (see also Sprock, Crosby, & Nielsen, 2001).…”

Abortion issues in psychotherapy.

“…Fueling the biases concerning abortion are the prevailing biases against women. Some psychotherapists have been found to hold views of women that are based on traditional gender roles, which are reinforced by their training, and affect the diagnoses and treatment they provide (Teri, 1982;Waisberg & Page, 1988;Weiner & Boss, 1985;"Summary and Recommendations," 1984). Sherman, Koufacos, and Kenworthy ( 1978) found psychotherapists held stereotypical attitudes and information about women that were often contradictory to the attitudes and information provided by their women patients.…”