The investigation of the relationship between depression, role norms and psychological help seeking attitudes in male university students

INTODUCTION AND AIM: Males experienced externalized depressive symptoms, and that academic achievement was affected negatively in university students. Moreover, it is seen that men adopting masculine norms displayed negative attitude towards seeking professional psychological help. The aim of the study is adaptation of a scale, in Turkish and investigation of the relationship between masculine depression, role norms and help seeking attitude in male university students. METHOD AND MATERIAL: A total of 674 male students were included to the at Ordu University, Cumhuriyet Campus study between February 2018 and April 2018. Data was collected with the use of Interview Form I, Masculine Depression Scale and Beck Depression Scale in the methodological phase and Interview Form II, Masculine Depression Scale adapted to Turkish, Male Roles Scale and Attitudes towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale - Short Form in the second phase. The data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistical methods, transferred to IBM SPSS 23 and AMOS 23 programs. FINDINGS The study found that the 18-item two-factor structure of the Masculine Depression Scale was valid and reliable, the majority of students preferred informal sources when needed psychological help. A negative significant relationship was found between psychological help seeking attitudes and adhered traditional male role norms, especially toughness and antifemininity. Also, a possitive statistically significant relationship was found between internalizing depressive symptoms and adhered male norms (p<0,05). CONCLUSION: The Masculine Depression Scale with 18 items is a valid and reliable measurement tool for evaluation of depressive symptoms. The internalized depressive symptoms increase as the adhered masculine norms, by male university students. Attitude towards seeking psychological help is decresed as the concerns related with thoughts of avoiding stereotype femininity and being seen emotionally and physically tough. These conclusions are important in terms of raising awareness in nurses and professionals working the field of mental health on depressive symptomatology in young males, traditional masculine norms and seeking help.