Men’s Mental Health Matters: The Impact of Traditional Masculinity Norms on Men’s Willingness to Seek Mental Health Support; a Systematic Review of Literature

Summary & key facts

This systematic review looked at 47 studies published in English from 2000 to 2024 to see how traditional masculinity beliefs affect men’s use of mental health care. The search was done in February 2024 across PubMed, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The review found two main themes: how masculinity relates to mental health, and what stops men from getting help. Overall, the studies reported that traditional masculinity norms reduce men’s willingness to seek mental health support, and the authors note a need for culturally sensitive approaches to address these barriers.

Key facts:

• The review included 47 relevant studies published in English between 2000 and 2024.
• The literature search was conducted in February 2024 using PubMed, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar.
• Only studies of adult men were included; studies of children, adolescents, women, and nonempirical articles were excluded.
• Two main themes emerged from the papers: (1) masculinity and mental health (impact on mental health) and (2) barriers to seeking help.
• Across the included studies, traditional masculinity norms were reported to discourage men from seeking mental health support.
• The authors highlight the need for culturally sensitive interventions aimed at addressing the barriers created by traditional masculinity norms.

Abstract

Men's mental health is a focus area for improving population health worldwide. Traditional masculine norms among men have been reported to make them more susceptible to mental health issues. This study aims to review existing literature on how traditional masculinity norms influence men's willingness to seek mental health support. This review followed stages of systematic review. The review search was initiated in February 2024. The search process was conducted on electronic databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, Science Direct, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies published in English between 2000 and 2024. The search terms included "traditional masculinity norms," "men's mental health," "help-seeking behavior," and "barriers to mental health care." Studies were selected based on their relevance to the topic. The inclusion criteria were studies focusing on adult men and examining the relationship between traditional masculinity norms and mental health help-seeking behaviors. Exclusion criteria included studies focusing on children, adolescents, or women and nonempirical articles. Data extraction covered study details, design, population characteristics, and key findings. This study included 47 relevant studies. Two key themes emerged, namely: masculinity and mental health (impact on mental health); and barriers to seeking help. Traditional masculinity norms significantly deter men from seeking mental health support, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive interventions that address these barriers.

Topics

Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Gender Roles and Identity Studies Sex and Gender in Healthcare

Categories

Gender Studies Social Sciences

Tags

Clinical psychology Environmental health Gerontology Inclusion (mineral) Law Masculinity Medicine MEDLINE Mental health Political science Population Psychiatry Psychoanalysis Psychological intervention Psychology PsycINFO Social psychology

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Depression Anxiety or worry Lack of energy or motivation Poor sleep Sadness or low mood