Men's experiences of depression from the perspective of cognitive-behavioural approach: A mixed method grounded theory study

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Depression is more common in women than in men, but the experience and expression of depression differ in men due to the effect of gender role norms. This situation complicates the diagnosis and treatment processes of depression in men. This thesis, it was aimed to create a grounded theory from the perspective of the cognitive-behavioural approach in understanding men's experiences of depression. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Exploratory Sequential Mixed Method, one of the mixed-method research designs, was used in the study. In the first stage, quantitative data from 1133 male participants were analyzed by using the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (CMNI-30), Male Depression Risk Scale-22 (MDRS-22), Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), and structural equation modelling. Qualitative data were collected and analyzed from 23 participants through semi-structured individual interviews in line with the analysis steps of grounded theory (bottom-up, top-down, and thematic coding). RESULTS: It was determined that the PHQ-4 measurement was mediating the effect of the CMNI-30 measurement on the MDRS-22 (p=0.001, Beta=-0.306). Qualitative findings related to men's experiences of depression in the context of gender roles were analyzed on 7 themes. The themes are Definition of depression, Cognitive beliefs, Causes of depression, Symptoms of depression, Barriers to getting help, Effective coping methods, and Attitude towards depressed men. CONCLUSIONS: The study used quantitative data to show that conformity to norms of masculinity influences male depression through the mediation of typical depressive symptoms. Qualitative data highlighted cognitive and behavioural perspectives on men's depression experiences; these findings align with quantitative results and support the framework of the developed grounded theory. Keywords: Cognitive-behavioral approach, men, masculinity, male depression, depression, grounded theory