Gender Norms and Anxiety

Kryzsko Commons Ballroom

The objective of this study was to examine how attitudes about gender roles affect anxiety and how those attitudes might differ for men and women. Previous research demonstrates that women are more 34 likely to experience and report anxiety than are men. Additionally, a relationship between conformity to masculine norms and mental health issues such as anxiety exists, but less work has explored how the relationship between masculine social roles and anxiety might differ depending on gender. Therefore, the effect of masculine social norms on anxiety and whether it depends on gender. Participants (N = 303; Mage= 21.44, SD= 5.85) completed an online survey with questions about anxiety, masculine gender roles and attitudes, and gender identity. A moderation analysis was conducted to test whether gender was a significant moderator in the relationship between attitudes about masculine gender roles and anxiety. Masculine self-concept significantly predicted anxiety, b = -1.55, t(261) = -2.03, p = .04. As masculine self-concept increased, reports of anxiety decreased. Contrary to the hypotheses, gender was not a significant predictor of anxiety (b = 2.81, t(261) = 1.38, p = .17), nor was there a significant interaction (b = .47, t(261) = 1.15, p = .25). Findings indicate that masculine self-concept (and not gender) is associated with lower levels of anxiety reporting and that this holds true for men and women alike. These results have important implications for clinicians. Individuals’ self-concepts and views of their own masculine traits might be important to factor in with the treatment of anxiety.