title: Moderated path analysis of the relationships between masculinity and men's attitudes toward seeking psychological help.
abstract: This study tested a theoretical model of one mediator and 4 moderators of the relationships between 2 masculinity variables (Traditional Masculinity Ideology and Gender Role Conflict) and Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Services (Attitudes). Self-stigma was the hypothesized mediator, and the hypothesized moderators were (a) Depression, (b) General Self-efficacy, (c) Precontemplation, and (d) Barriers to Help-seeking. A sample of 654 men responded to an online survey of 9 questionnaires. After evaluating mediation in the absence of moderation, moderated path analyses were conducted for each moderator. The relationship between Traditional Masculinity Ideology and Attitudes was partially mediated by Self-stigma, whereas that between Gender Role Conflict and Attitudes was completely mediated. No indirect or direct paths involving Gender Role Conflict were moderated by any moderators. Both Depression and Barriers to Help-seeking demonstrated mediated moderation by moderating both Stage 1 (the path from Traditional Masculinity Ideology to Self-stigma) of the mediated relationships and the direct effects between Traditional Masculinity Ideology and Attitudes. Precontemplation moderated the direct effect between Traditional Masculinity Ideology and Attitudes. The findings suggest that the relationships between masculinity variables and men's negative help-seeking attitudes may be better understood through their relationships with other variables that serve as mediators and moderators. Findings from the present study may offer some direction in the design of interventions to remediate men's negative help-seeking attitudes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Akron.
authors.forename: Ronald F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Levant
authors.affiliation: Scientific Computing Center, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center.
authors.forename: Dimitre G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Stefanov
authors.affiliation: Department of Counseling, The University of Akron.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Rankin
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Ashland University.
authors.forename: Margaret J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Halter
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of Akron.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mellinger
authors.affiliation: Counseling and Health Services, University of Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057228:Masculinity; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult