Addressing Hegemonic Masculinity With Adolescent Boys Within the Counseling Relationship

Abstract

For mental health professionals who counsel adolescent boys, hegemonic masculinity can influence the counseling relationship. Hegemonic masculinity refers to characteristics and performative behaviors meant to demonstrate appropriate and acceptable characteristics of boys and men. Toxic masculinity, a part of hegemonic masculinity, consists of traits and behaviors that are detrimental to the self and others. Counselors working with adolescent boys need to take into consideration these social influences, their impact on the counseling relationship, and the unique ways adolescent boys perform masculinity.

Keywords:

• adolescent boy
• counseling
• hegemonic masculinity