A meta-analysis by researchers at Indiana University (United States) found that men who engage in sexist behavior are more likely to have mental health problems.
Being macho is bad for your mental health. To come to this conclusion, researchers at Indiana University (US) analyzed the results of 78 previous studies, which involved a total of 19,453 participants, to investigate the link between mental health and compliance with macho stereotypes. . Their result was published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology.
11 criteria of masculinity
In order to assess this relationship, they compiled a list of eleven criteria that meet stereotypes of masculinity:
– Desire to win.
– Need for emotional control.
– Risk taking.
– Violence.
– Need for domination.
– Autonomy.
– Behavior of playboy in search of sexual promiscuity.
– Power over women.
– Disdain for homosexuality.
– Importance of professional activity.
– Continued success.
Researchers have established three possible consequences for mental health: negative mental health (such as depression), positive mental health (life satisfaction) and seeking psychological help.
Poor mental health and refusal of psychological help
The result is striking: Men who conform to typically masculine norms are more often prone to negative mental health. And more precisely those associated with playboy behavior and the search for power over women.
“The strong association found between these two standards highlights that sexism is not only a social injustice, but may well have a detrimental effect on the mental health of those who adopt such attitudes,” concludes Dr. Joel Wong. Worse, the latter would also be much less inclined to seek psychological help. A woman’s thing, surely.
Finally, only one of these eleven criteria did not show any link with mental health, whether negative or positive: the importance given to professional activity. To explain it, Dr Wong highlights the “complexity” of the relationship between work and well-being. He adds “that too much attention at work can be harmful to health and interpersonal relationships, but work is also a source of meaning for many people”.
.
