Boys Don't Cry: Therapeutic Encounters With Depressed Boys and Factors Contributing to Success

Abstract

Therapists meet special challenges in their contact with depressed boys. There is a lack of knowledge on how therapists create therapeutic alliance with reluctant boys. How do experienced therapists create alliance and gain success in their contact with weakly motivated boys? The aim of this study was to explore factors contributing to success in therapeutic encounters with depressed boys using a grounded theory approach. Qualitative interviews were performed with therapists from Child and Youth Psychiatry, School Health Care, Social Service, and Youth Clinics about their contact with depressed boys. The results show that two core categories proved important for success. The notion of the male role (“boys don't cry”), both from therapist and boys, was of importance in the contact. Secondly, that alliance cannot be built on mere words (“words are not enough”); activity and creativity are needed. Conclusions show that active and creative therapists succeed in creating therapeutic alliance with depressed boys.

Keywords:

• adolescent
• gender norms
• grounded theory
• male depression
• therapeutic alliance