Gender-Atypical Mental Illness as Male Gender Threat

Gender-Atypical Mental Illness as Male Gender Threat

The present study examined whether men view gender-atypical (i.e., feminine) psychological disorders as threats to their gender status. Men and women ( N = 355) rated their expectations of gender status loss, feelings of distress, and help-seeking intentions in response to 10 different stereotypical...

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Main Authors: Kenneth S. Michniewicz MA, Jennifer K. Bosson PhD, Joshua G. Lenes MA, Jason I. Chen MA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2016-07-01
Series:American Journal of Men's Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988314567224
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spelling doaj-0887ad35b0964405a534350e2d5145d32020-11-25T03:27:18ZengSAGE PublishingAmerican Journal of Men's Health1557-98831557-98912016-07-011010.1177/1557988314567224Gender-Atypical Mental Illness as Male Gender ThreatKenneth S. Michniewicz MA0Jennifer K. Bosson PhD1Joshua G. Lenes MA2Jason I. Chen MA3Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USADepartment of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USADepartment of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USADepartment of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USAThe present study examined whether men view gender-atypical (i.e., feminine) psychological disorders as threats to their gender status. Men and women ( N = 355) rated their expectations of gender status loss, feelings of distress, and help-seeking intentions in response to 10 different stereotypically masculine and feminine psychological disorders. Men as compared to women expected greater gender status loss for, and reported more distress to, gender-atypical versus gender-typical disorders. Expectations of gender status loss partially mediated the link between participant gender and distress at the thought of gender-atypical disorders. These findings suggest that feminine disorders pose more powerful gender status threats for men than masculine disorders do and that men’s expectations of gender status loss for feminine disorders drive their negative reactions to these mental illnesses. The discussion emphasizes the importance of considering the gender-typicality of disorders, and the implications of these findings for clinical interventions.https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988314567224
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Kenneth S. Michniewicz MA
Jennifer K. Bosson PhD
Joshua G. Lenes MA
Jason I. Chen MA
spellingShingle Kenneth S. Michniewicz MA
Jennifer K. Bosson PhD
Joshua G. Lenes MA
Jason I. Chen MA
Gender-Atypical Mental Illness as Male Gender Threat
American Journal of Men's Health
author_facet Kenneth S. Michniewicz MA
Jennifer K. Bosson PhD
Joshua G. Lenes MA
Jason I. Chen MA
author_sort Kenneth S. Michniewicz MA
title Gender-Atypical Mental Illness as Male Gender Threat
title_short Gender-Atypical Mental Illness as Male Gender Threat
title_full Gender-Atypical Mental Illness as Male Gender Threat
title_fullStr Gender-Atypical Mental Illness as Male Gender Threat
title_full_unstemmed Gender-Atypical Mental Illness as Male Gender Threat
title_sort gender-atypical mental illness as male gender threat
publisher SAGE Publishing
series American Journal of Men's Health
issn 1557-9883
1557-9891
publishDate 2016-07-01
description The present study examined whether men view gender-atypical (i.e., feminine) psychological disorders as threats to their gender status. Men and women ( N = 355) rated their expectations of gender status loss, feelings of distress, and help-seeking intentions in response to 10 different stereotypically masculine and feminine psychological disorders. Men as compared to women expected greater gender status loss for, and reported more distress to, gender-atypical versus gender-typical disorders. Expectations of gender status loss partially mediated the link between participant gender and distress at the thought of gender-atypical disorders. These findings suggest that feminine disorders pose more powerful gender status threats for men than masculine disorders do and that men’s expectations of gender status loss for feminine disorders drive their negative reactions to these mental illnesses. The discussion emphasizes the importance of considering the gender-typicality of disorders, and the implications of these findings for clinical interventions.
url https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988314567224
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AT jenniferkbossonphd genderatypicalmentalillnessasmalegenderthreat
AT joshuaglenesma genderatypicalmentalillnessasmalegenderthreat
AT jasonichenma genderatypicalmentalillnessasmalegenderthreat
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