Interrelations of patriarchal beliefs, gender, collectivism/individualism, and mental health

ABSTRACT

By using web-survey data from 236 US American adults, this study examined (a) the relations of cultural orientations and patriarchal beliefs and whether these relations varied by gender and (b) the relations of patriarchal beliefs and mental health and whether these relations varied by gender and cultural orientations. As hypothesized, cultural orientations were significantly related to patriarchal beliefs. Specifically, individuals who endorsed higher (vs. lower) levels of horizontal individualism (i.e. individualism emphasizing equal relations), vertical individualism (i.e. individualism emphasizing hierarchical relations), or vertical collectivism (i.e. collectivism emphasizing hierarchical relations) indicated greater patriarchal beliefs. Men who endorsed higher (vs. lower) levels of horizontal collectivism (i.e. collectivism emphasizing equal relations) revealed lower patriarchal beliefs, which were not found among women. As hypothesized, patriarchal beliefs were related to depression. This relationship did not differ by gender but varied by cultural orientations. Patriarchal beliefs were positively associated with depression only at low levels of vertical collectivism, whereas patriarchal beliefs tended to be positively related to negative affect only at high levels of vertical individualism. Implications for research and practice were discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Patriarchal beliefs
• gender
• collectivism
• individualism
• mental health

Acknowledgments

We thank Gloria McGillen and William Nation for their assistance with literature review.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. PsycINFO search for the subject of collectivism/individualism produced 22 publications in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology versus 9 publications in four major counseling journals combined (i.e. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, Journal of Counseling and Development, Journal of Counseling Psychology, and The Counseling Psychologist).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eunju Yoon

Eunju Yoon is Associate Professor in Counseling Psychology at Loyola University Chicago. Her research interests include acculturation/enculturation, immigrant mental health, patriarchal beliefs, and spirituality.

Hanna Chang

Hanna Chang received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. She is currently in her post-doctoral clinical position at the University of Hawaii Manoa’s Counseling and Student Development Center. Her research interests include Asian American psychology, in particular, factors influencing mental health.

Kristen Adams

Kristen Adams received her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Loyola University Chicago. She is currently a staff embedded psychologist at University of Michigan's Counseling and Psychological Services, in UM's School of Nursing. Her clinical and research interests include identity development, social identities and culture, acculturation/enculturation, social connectedness, and the impact that these all have on mental health and subjective well-being.