The relationships between masculine gender role discrepancy, discrepancy stress and men's health-related behavior

Abstract

The current research aims to clarify relationships between masculine gender role discrepancy, discrepancy stress, and traditional masculine identity on men's self-reported health-related behaviors. Participants (n = 459 MAge = 34.07 [SD = 12.06]; 56.6% UK, 29.4% US, 14% Canada) recruited through Prolific Academic completed a 2-part study, which temporally separated predictor from criterion measurement. Overall, discrepancy stress negatively mediated the relationship between masculine gender role discrepancy and health behaviors including taking proactive health and safety measures, engaging in healthy social relationships, and engaging in healthy stress management practices. Higher discrepancy stress resulted in fewer positive health-related behaviors. Additionally, discrepancy stress positively mediated the relationship between masculine gender role discrepancy and deleterious mental health outcomes, wherein higher discrepancy stress resulted in more negative mental health experiences. Importantly, traditional masculinity ideology moderated these effects, such that men who were higher (vs. lower) on traditional masculinity ideology were less (vs. more) likely to report positive health-related behaviors, whereas men higher (vs. lower) on traditional masculinity ideology were more likely to report negative mental health outcomes. Implications for research and practice are discussed.