Identidad Masculina y salud mental

Abstract

Abstract Male gender studies is a relatively new field of study. Interest in this arose when some characteristics of masculine socialization seemed to enhance unhealthy behavior, and also because there is an over-mortality of males during productive years due to destructive causes. Furthermore, relevant among social factors that propitiate an analysis of male identity, are the changing patterns of employment and salaries, increasing presence of women in the labor force, feminist and homosexual social movements. The purpose of this work is to analyze the relationships between gender construction and mental health. Although women show higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal attempts, males have higher prevalence of substance abuse, accidents and suicide, which shows that each sex can socialize problems in different ways. A final conclusion is that a reconstruction of male identity can free many men from a rigid social structure and contribute to preventive strategies towards better mental health. Key words: gender, masculine identity, mental health