Incorporating a gender role strain perspective in assessing and treating men's cognitive distortions

Psychologists will be better prepared to intervene effectively with male cl ients ii they can assess how their male clients' experiences as men in soci ety have contributed to their presenting problems. In this article, the aut hor reviews how masculine gender role strain contributes to men's cognitive distortions and leads to, for example, aggressiveness, an overemphasis on achievement, and relational and emotional disconnection. Eight areas of sal ient gender role messages for men are examined to facilitate clinicians' as sessments of men's gender related cognitive distortions. In the final secti on. of the article, issues salient to treating men who endorse these gender related cognitive distortions are discussed. By focusing on the influence of men's gender role socialization on presenting problems, it is hoped that clinicians may be empathic to the social context that contributes to men's cognitive distortions and clinicians can reduce the effects of gender role strain in male clients.