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Abstract
Background: Men’s health help-seeking behaviours vary considerably depending on the context. The current empirical literature on the influence of masculinity on college men’s attitudes towards mental health-related help-seeking is largely limited to investigations involving psychology students.
Aim: To describe the connections between masculinities and college men’s depression-related help-seeking.
Methods: Qualitative interviews with 21 college men who were diagnosed or self-identified as depressed. Constant comparison was used to inductively derive gendered understandings about participants’ depression-related help-seeking.
Results: Three themes were identified: (1) denying weakness; (2) limiting self-disclosure and mustering autonomy; and (3) redefining strength.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate connections between masculinities and help-seeking that can assist health care providers to understand the practices of college men who experience depression.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to research staff, Val Nehdu and Melanie J. Phillips.