MEN AND PSYCHOTHERAPY - AN INVESTIGATION OF ALEXITHYMIA, INTIMACY, AND MASCULINE GENDER-ROLES

Psychological theories have long emphasized the roles of emotions in h ealthy functioning and in psychotherapy. However, the masculine social ization process has been hypothesized to encourage men to devalue and restrict much of their emotional experiencing (e.g.,Brannon, 1976; Lev ant, 1992; O'Neil, 1981). This study of 208 men used two operationaliz ations of traditional masculine gender role socialization and found ev idence that men reporting greater gender role conflict also acknowledg ed greater levels of alexithymia and fear of intimacy, even after cont rolling for socially desirable responding. Implications for psychother apy and for future theory and research are noted.