Effect of gender socialization on the presentation of depression among men: A pilot study

Objective To examine the association between men's conformity to masculine norms and depression. Design Cross-sectional analysis. Setting University family practice clinic in Vancouver, BC. Participants Male patients, 19 years of age and older (N = 97). Main outcome measures The relationships among patients' scores on the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 depression subscale, Gotland Male Depression Scale, and Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory, and whether or not patients were prompted to discuss emotional concerns with their physicians after completing these screening tests. Results Conformity to masculine norms was significantly associated with depression as assessed by the male depression screen (P = .039), but not with the screen that assessed typical depressive symptoms (P = .068). Men, regardless of their degree of masculinity or distress, overwhelmingly did not disclose emotional concerns to their physicians, even if the content of their distress involved suicidal thoughts. Conclusion Male depression screens might capture aspects of depression associated with masculine gender socialization that are not captured by typical measures of depression. Given the tendency of men to not disclose emotional distress to their family physicians, potentially high-risk cases could be missed without direct inquiry by clinicians.