Social Workers’ Working Experiences with Men in the Provision of Mental Health Services

The aim of this study is to understand the experiences of social workers, who have important roles and responsibilities in the provision of mental health services, in working with men with mental health problems. In the study which adopted qualitative descriptive design, in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 social workers. As a result of the analysis of the interviews using the thematic analysis method, three themes were obtained: the reflections of masculinity norms in mental health services, difficulties encountered while working with men and opportunities offered by the social work profession. Research findings indicated that masculinity norms were important determinants at every stage of mental disorders, from the awareness of symptoms to the prosecution of the treatment. Although social workers encountered various difficulties when working with men, the principles and values of social work offered an important opportunity during their work. The study also indicated that mental health policies and services should be gender-sensitive in order to carry out effective practices in the field of male mental health.