Exploring Levels of Adherence to Masculine Norms and Their Influence on Men's Expressive Writing

Research surrounding the impacts of masculinity on men's expressive writing is limited. Previous studies have focused on gender differences in emotional expression and language use between men and women. Such past studies have indicated that men encounter societal pressures influenced by gender roles that restrict their emotional expression. While the literature helps frame how men differ in their use of language and levels of expressiveness in writing based on gender, there is a lack of knowledge about how adherence to masculinity affects this. The current study examined factors such as masculinity adherence and stressful life events through men's expressive writing. By looking at men's levels of adherence to traditional masculine norms and language patterns, such as cognitive, emotional, and mental health-related words, we can better understand how masculine norms are associated with emotional expression. More knowledge in this area may help to determine the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions, such as expressive writing, for various groups of men. We hypothesized that men with higher levels of adherence to masculine norms would demonstrate less emotional expression in their writing than men with lower levels of adherence.