The DOI matches its Crossref record; 63 of the 63 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Barriers to help-seeking by men: a review of sociocultural and clinical literature with particular reference to depression
Abstract
Consultation rates and help-seeking patterns in men are consistently lower than in women, especially in the case of emotional problems and depressive symptoms. Empirical evidence shows that low treatment rates for men cannot be explained by better health, but must be attributed to a discrepancy between perception of need and help-seeking behavior. It is argued that social norms of traditional masculinity make help-seeking more difficult because of the inhibition of emotional expressiveness influencing symptom perception of depression. Other medical and social factors which produce further barriers to help-seeking are also examined. Lines of future research are proposed to investigate the links between changing masculinity and its impact on expressiveness and on the occurrence and presentation of depressive symptoms in men.
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“Simply put, “boys are taught to be stoical and to ignore symptoms (“boys don't cry”), the threshold for expressing pain and emotional sensitivity (especially related to emotions like weakness, uncertainty, helplessness, and sadness) is heightened and results in emotional restriction” (Möller-Leimkühler, 2002).”
From The Disclosure Experiences of Male Child Sexual Abuse Survivors (2016) · cites this paper as Möller-Leimkühler, 2002
In the citing paper
“The literature confirmed that help-seeking was found to be challenging for males, however it was generally due to social constructs of masculinity”
From The Disclosure Experiences of Male Child Sexual Abuse Survivors (2016) · cites this paper as Möller-Leimkühler, 2002
In the citing paper
“Men cope with mental health difficulties differently compared to women, demonstrating an increased tendency to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs to alleviate emotional distress”
From Improving Mental Health Service Utilization Among Men: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Behavior Change Techniques Within Interventions Targeting Help-Seeking (2019) · cites this paper as Möller-Leimkühler, 2002
In the citing paper
“Compared to women, men are less likely to seek help for mental health difficulties.”
From Improving Mental Health Service Utilization Among Men: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Behavior Change Techniques Within Interventions Targeting Help-Seeking (2019) · cites this paper as Möller-Leimkühler, 2002
In the citing paper
“studies have also indicated clear gender differences with regards to help-seeking tendencies. This is particularly the case for emotional problems and depression”
From A systematic review of the factors associated with delays in medical and psychological help-seeking among men (2015) · cites this paper as Moller-Leimkuhler, 2002
In the citing paper
“These differences in psychological openness are thought to be due to subjective masculine norms that encourage emotion suppression and lead to the stigmatisation of help-seeking for emotional problems [7].”
From Silence is deadly: a cluster-randomised controlled trial of a mental health help-seeking intervention for young men (2017) · cites this paper as [7]
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“Gender-blindness can lead to women’s needs being overlooked, as seen in coronary heart diseases [23], but can also lead to that men’s needs are failed to notice, as seen in under-diagnosed depression in men [32].”
Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Möller-Leimkühler, A. M.
- Affiliations
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Möller-Leimkühler, Anne Maria
- Venue
- Journal of Affective Disorders
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2002-09
- Volume
- 71
- Issue
- 1-3
- Pages
- 1-9
- ISSN
- 0165-0327 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1988759229
- Cited by
- 851
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 51 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 50 · 2020: 47 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 46 · 2017: 49 · 2016: 36 · 2015: 59 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 46
- FWCI
- 6.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Affective Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- help-seeking, men, depression, masculinity, traditional masculinity, emotional expressiveness, barriers to treatment, gender differences, depressive symptoms, symptom perception, social norms
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Cultural Characteristics, Depression, Gender Identity, Humans, Male, Social Conditions, Health Behavior
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