Gendered Manifestations of Depression and Help Seeking Among Men

Abstract

Men who do not seek help for mental health problems may experience unnecessary suffering which ultimately affects the well-being of themselves and others. Gendered manifestations of depressive symptoms may play an important role in why some men do not seek help for mental health issues. Using data from 2,382 male respondents in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, the authors examined the relationship that both traditional and male-typical symptoms of depression had on the help-seeking behaviors of men. Traditional symptoms increased the odds of seeking help for depression for all men. Male-typical symptoms, however, did not increase the odds of seeking help for depression or another mental health concern. Both traditional and male-typical symptoms increased the odds of initially seeking help from a medical provider, and men with male-typical symptoms had an overall higher likelihood of seeking help from a medical provider. Consequently, it is important that medical professionals assess for depression even when it is not a presenting concern.

Help seeking behaviours in men with depression : implications for primary care practice in northern BC

“…In a socio-cultural environment that celebrates a strong and stoic masculinity, being able to selectively engage certain monologic traits mitigated social marginalization and emphasized the "positive qualities and resourcefulness" (Coen et al, 2013, p. 99) of a more traditional masculinity. These findings contrast somewhat with the Call and Shafer (2015) research, which suggests that men with a more traditional masculinity are more likely to exhibit non-DSM symptoms, and men with a less traditional, or dialogic masculinity, are more likely to present with DSM-5 symptoms. Coen et al's (2013) findings suggest that the mechanisms that drive symptomatology and help seeking are complex, not necessarily predictable, and are strongly linked to the socio-cultural milieu within which men live.…”

“…Men who endorse and identify with traditional male norms of self-reliance and control may be more likely to feel that their depressive experience, and the act of help seeking, is in opposition with their masculine identities (Call & Shafer, 2015). On the other hand, men who identify with a more nuanced masculinity may more quickly engage in coping behaviours such as seeking help from a social or professional support (Call & Shafer, 2015, Rice et al, 2015. The principal mechanism underlying this process appears to relate to control.…”

“…Even after controlling for a number of important factors that might influence a man's ability to access care, men who exhibited DSM-5 depressive symptoms were more likely to seek help (OR 1.604, p<0.001) than men who exhibited non-DSM symptoms (OR 0.769, p<0.001). The authors also reported that the odds of seeking help increased 60% for each additional DSM-5 symptom exhibited, while the odds decreased by 23% for each additional non-DSM symptom (Call & Shafer, 2015). Interestingly, survey responders with non-DSM symptoms were more likely to initially seek help from a medical provider than those with traditional symptoms.…”

Fathers’ narratives on support and agency: a case study of fathers in a Finnish child welfare NGO

“…Research has also revealed that men are quite often reluctant to seek emotional or psychological support, mainly due to masculine norms emphasizing the importance of self-sufficiency, strength, and invulnerability (Call and Shafer 2015;Vogel and Heimerdinger-Edwards, Hammer and Hubbard 2011). However, promising results have been reported by studies on various programs and work targeted to fathers in need of support.…”

Frequency and correlates of depression at the primary health care level in Belgrade

“…The exclusion criteria were the following: age under 18 jears, age over 65 years, pregnancy and postpartum, mental retardation or intellectual disability. Patients over 65 were excluded since it was shown that screening methods available are less robust for this age group and symptoms of depression often coexist with medical comorbidities [25,26]. We excluded 14 patients who had an appointment with a psychiatrist before the study began and four who had not filled out the questionnaire.…”