Men's Gender Role Conflict

James M. O'Neil

Restrictive definitions of masculinity limit men's well-being and human potential, resulting in gender role conflict. Gender role conflict harms not only boys and men but also girls and women, transgendered people, and society at large. Extensive research relates men's gender role conflict to many problems, including sexism, violence, homophobia, depression, substance abuse, and relationship issues. This book represents a call to action for researchers and practitioners, graduate students, and other mental healthcare professionals to confront men's gender role conflict and reduce its harmful influence on individuals and society. James M. O'Neil is a pioneer in men's psychology who conceptualized gender role conflict and created the Gender Role Conflict Scale. In this book, he combines over 300 studies from renowned scholars in men's psychology with more than 30 years of his own clinical and research experience to promote activism and challenge the status quo. He describes multiple effects of men's gender role conflict, including success, power, and competition issues; restrictive emotionality; restrictive affectionate behavior between men; and conflicts between work and family relations. O'Neil also explains when gender role conflict can develop in a man's gender role journey, how to address it through preventive programs and therapy for boys and men, and what initiatives researchers and clinicians can pursue. -- from dust jacket.