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The role of gender norm conformity in men's psychological help-seeking and treatment engagement: a scoping review.

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Title: The role of gender norm conformity in men's psychological help-seeking and treatment engagement: a scoping review.
Authors: Burns, Lewis (AUTHOR), Olive, Lisa (AUTHOR), Turner, Alyna (AUTHOR), Rice, Simon (AUTHOR), Wrobel, Anna (AUTHOR), Montgomery-Farrer, Bronte (AUTHOR), Norton, Bethany (AUTHOR), Seidler, Zac (AUTHOR), Hayley, Alexa (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Mental Health. Apr2026, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p230-248. 19p.
Subjects: Gender role, Medical information storage & retrieval systems, Patient compliance, Research funding, Masculinity, CINAHL database, Femininity, Psychological well-being, Help-seeking behavior, Psychology of men, Systematic reviews, MEDLINE, Thematic analysis, Intention, College students, Therapeutic alliance, Patient satisfaction, Patient participation, Psychology information storage & retrieval systems, Social stigma, Patients' attitudes
Abstract: Background: Despite higher suicide rates, men are less likely to seek psychological help than women, and even when they do seek help, services are often ill-equipped to meet their needs and maintain their ongoing engagement in care. Aims: This study aimed to systematically scope the existing literature to summarise research findings and identify gaps related to the association between gender norm conformity (incorporating masculinities and femininities) and psychological help-seeking and treatment engagement. Methods: A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA PsycINFO and CINAHL databases was conducted. Of 3,652 identified studies, 82 met inclusion criteria. Data from included studies was extracted and synthesised thematically. Results: Findings from the included studies suggested heightened conformity to masculine gender norms was linked with lower help-seeking and treatment engagement, and preliminary evidence was found for positive relationships between feminine gender norm conformity and both help-seeking and treatment engagement. Strength-based approaches to improving men's engagement with psychological services were often recommended, yet the prevailing position on masculinities was deficit-based. Conclusions: Further research is needed to explore the role of femininities and masculinities in men's help-seeking, and to further examine men's treatment engagement. Researchers are also encouraged to shift toward a strength-based position regarding masculinities in the context of men's mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: The role of gender norm conformity in men's psychological help-seeking and treatment engagement: a scoping review.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Burns%2C+Lewis%22">Burns, Lewis</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Olive%2C+Lisa%22">Olive, Lisa</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Turner%2C+Alyna%22">Turner, Alyna</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rice%2C+Simon%22">Rice, Simon</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wrobel%2C+Anna%22">Wrobel, Anna</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Montgomery-Farrer%2C+Bronte%22">Montgomery-Farrer, Bronte</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Norton%2C+Bethany%22">Norton, Bethany</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Seidler%2C+Zac%22">Seidler, Zac</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hayley%2C+Alexa%22">Hayley, Alexa</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Mental+Health%22">Journal of Mental Health</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p230-248. 19p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+role%22">Gender role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+information+storage+%26+retrieval+systems%22">Medical information storage & retrieval systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patient+compliance%22">Patient compliance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Masculinity%22">Masculinity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22CINAHL+database%22">CINAHL database</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Femininity%22">Femininity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+well-being%22">Psychological well-being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Help-seeking+behavior%22">Help-seeking behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+men%22">Psychology of men</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Systematic+reviews%22">Systematic reviews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22MEDLINE%22">MEDLINE</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thematic+analysis%22">Thematic analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intention%22">Intention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+students%22">College students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Therapeutic+alliance%22">Therapeutic alliance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patient+satisfaction%22">Patient satisfaction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patient+participation%22">Patient participation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+information+storage+%26+retrieval+systems%22">Psychology information storage & retrieval systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+stigma%22">Social stigma</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patients'+attitudes%22">Patients' attitudes</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: Despite higher suicide rates, men are less likely to seek psychological help than women, and even when they do seek help, services are often ill-equipped to meet their needs and maintain their ongoing engagement in care. Aims: This study aimed to systematically scope the existing literature to summarise research findings and identify gaps related to the association between gender norm conformity (incorporating masculinities and femininities) and psychological help-seeking and treatment engagement. Methods: A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA PsycINFO and CINAHL databases was conducted. Of 3,652 identified studies, 82 met inclusion criteria. Data from included studies was extracted and synthesised thematically. Results: Findings from the included studies suggested heightened conformity to masculine gender norms was linked with lower help-seeking and treatment engagement, and preliminary evidence was found for positive relationships between feminine gender norm conformity and both help-seeking and treatment engagement. Strength-based approaches to improving men's engagement with psychological services were often recommended, yet the prevailing position on masculinities was deficit-based. Conclusions: Further research is needed to explore the role of femininities and masculinities in men's help-seeking, and to further examine men's treatment engagement. Researchers are also encouraged to shift toward a strength-based position regarding masculinities in the context of men's mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=192584933
RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/09638237.2025.2512304
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 230
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Gender role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical information storage & retrieval systems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patient compliance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Masculinity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: CINAHL database
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Femininity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological well-being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Help-seeking behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of men
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Systematic reviews
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: MEDLINE
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      – SubjectFull: Thematic analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Intention
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      – SubjectFull: College students
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      – SubjectFull: Therapeutic alliance
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      – SubjectFull: Social stigma
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patients' attitudes
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      – TitleFull: The role of gender norm conformity in men's psychological help-seeking and treatment engagement: a scoping review.
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              Text: Apr2026
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