Masculinity Construction, Health Risk Behaviors and Help- Seeking Attitudes
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Date
2015-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the meanings ascribed to masculinities among
university students; and also to directly compare conformity to masculine norms and gender role
conflict to determine to what extent these masculinity measures were associated with health risk
behaviors and attitudes toward seeking help. Data were collected from students in Addis Ababa,
Wollega and Addis Ababa Science and Technology universities. A total of 503 students (aged 18-
25 years) were sample data sources. Both questionnaire and in-depth individual interviews were
used to collect data. Qualitative data analysis revealed that several core concepts were embedded
in the meanings of masculinity, including a display of risky behaviors, bravery, self-reliance,
controlling females, inexpressiveness, recording some achievements in life, etc. Pearson
correlations revealed that Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46 (CMNI-46) and Gender
Role Conflict Scale-Short Form (GRCS-SF) correlated positively with the Health Risk Behavior
Questionnaire (HRBQ), with higher correlations indicating that as measures of masculinity rose,
so did reports of risky health behavior. CMNI-46 and GRCS-SF negatively correlated with the
Attitude Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help-Short Form (ATSPPH-SF), indicating
that as masculinity measures increased, attitudes toward help-seeking became more negative.
Based on standard multiple linear regression analysis, masculinity measures (CMNI-46 and
GRCS-SF) as a group significantly predicted health risk behaviors; however, only the CMNI-46
contributed uniquely to the variance explained. Masculinity measures as a group also
significantly predicted attitude toward seeking psychological help; yet, only the CMNI-46
contributed uniquely to the variance explained. Results of moderated hierarchical regression
analyses revealed that gender and religiosity moderate the relationship between gender role
conflict and health risk behavior; however, there was no age effect on the relationship between
the two variables. Religiosity also moderates the relationship between gender role conflict and
help-seeking attitude; however, there were no gender and age effects on the relationship between
the two variables
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Keywords
Attitudes