Reviewing the Assumptions About Men's Mental Health: An Exploration of the Gender Binary

Abstract

Many researchers take for granted that men's mental health can be explained in the same terms as women's or can be gauged using the same measures. Women tend to have higher rates of internalizing disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety), while men experience more externalizing symptoms (i.e., violence, substance abuse). These patterns are often attributed to gender differences in socialization (including the acquisition of expectations associated with traditional gender roles), help seeking, coping, and socioeconomic status. However, measurement bias (inadequate survey assessment of men's experiences) and clinician bias (practitioner's subconscious tendency to overlook male distress) may lead to underestimates of the prevalence of depression and anxiety among men. Continuing to focus on gender differences in mental health may obscure significant within-gender group differences in men's symptomatology. In order to better understand men's lived experiences and their psychological well-being, it is crucial for scholars to focus exclusively on men's mental health.

Keywords: depression; mental health; social determinants of health.

Figure 1.

Pathways and potential bias in detecting major depressive disorder among men in clinical settings. ¹Men seek health care less often than women (Courtenay, 2000; Oliver et al., 2005). ²Men are unlikely to disclose symptoms (Courtenay, 2000). ³Practitioners are less likely to recognize depression symptoms among men (Swami, 2012).

Figure 2.

Potential bias in detecting major depressive disorder among men in community epidemiological surveys. ¹Men may be less likely to participate in data collection efforts (Korkeila et al., 2001). ²Men may be less likely to report and/or experience these screening symptoms (Martin et al., 2013). ³Men may be less likely to report and/or experience these diagnostic symptoms (Martin et al., 2013).