Psychosocial Correlates of Hopelessness Among Men

Abstract

This study examined overall hopelessness, explored differences in various variables (e.g. burnout) between men reporting no/mild hopelessness and moderate/severe hopelessness, and scrutinized factors associated with hopelessness. The study design was cross‐sectional, and the participants were 517 men randomly selected from the general population. About 12% of men reported moderate/severe hopelessness, and men with moderate/severe hopelessness were more often older, divorced/widowed, low educated, employed in blue‐collar positions, on sick leave/other/unemployment/retirement, and financially strained. They also reported more depression, posttraumatic symptoms, and burnout. Only unemployment/retirement, depression, and posttraumatic symptoms were independently associated with an increased risk for moderate/severe hopelessness in the regression analysis, with unemployment and retirement as the most important factors. In conclusion, this study seems to corroborate previous findings and may provide new insights into men's experiences and predictors of hopelessness. More research into the predictors of hopelessness in men is warranted.

Keywords:

• hopelessness
• depression
• burnout
• posttraumatic symptoms
• men
• general population

Notes

1. Studies with students (mostly American college students) were not considered because of their particular characteristics in relation to those of clinical, community, and general population samples.

2. Participants' names and addresses (with a code number) were purchased. AdressKompaniet performed the analysis of the age differences between participants and nonparticipants. The only available information about the participants consisted of their names and addresses.