Sexism May Harm Men's Mental Health

Men who see themselves as playboys or as having power over women are more likely to have psychological problems than those who conform less to traditionally masculine norms, a new study has warned. Researchers also found that men who adhere to masculine norms are also less likely to seek treatment. In general, individuals who conformed strongly to masculine norms tended to have poorer mental health and less favorable attitudes towards seeking psychological help, although the results differed depending on specific types of masculine norms. Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 78 research samples involving 19,453 participants that focused on the relationship between mental health and conformity to 11 norms generally considered by experts to reflect society’s expectations of traditional masculinity. While overall, conforming to masculine norms was associated with negative mental health, the researchers found the association to be most consistent for these three norms – self-reliance, pursuit of playboy behavior, and power over women. The masculine norms of playboy and power over women are the norms most closely associated with sexist attitudes.