Presentation Title
Men in Counseling Psychology Programs: Considering the Impact of Gender Norm Conformity on Self-Care
Location
Fenn Tower Ballroom
Presentation Type
Roundtable Discussion
Start Date
4-12-2014 3:30 PM
End Date
4-12-2014 4:20 PM
Abstract
Psychologists and psychology trainees must effectively cope with stress to provide competent and ethical professional services (e.g. Barnett et al., 2007; Elman & Forrest, 2007; Schwartz-Mette, 2009). While the idea of self-care as a means of coping with stress is not explicitly addressed in The APA Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct (APA, 2002), the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence and Standard 2.06 clearly apply (Wise et al., 2012). Self-care was recently identified as a foundational competency for psychologists (Rodolfa et al., 2005) and benchmarks for its assessment were identified (Fouad et al., 2009). Stressors for psychologists include normative life experiences and inherent risks associated with providing mental health services (e.g., Maltzman, 2011), while graduate students in psychology face additional stressors including academic responsibilities, financial pressures/large debt burdens, anxiety, and poor school/work/life balance (El-Ghoroury et al., 2012). Furthermore, while El-Ghoroury et al. (2012) reported no main effects for gender in analyses of stress, coping, and barriers to coping, discrimination was a greater source of stress for ethnic minority students. Rather than examining gender differences, conformity to traditional gender norms may allow a better understanding of gender issues that impact self-care for men. Mahalik et al. (2003) identify seven masculinity scripts that negatively affect men’s stress and coping, including their expressions of distress and their willingness to seek counseling (e.g., Addis & Mihalik, 2003; Hammer & Good, 2010; McKelley & Rochlen, 2010).
Because scholars have noted the importance of training in self-care (e.g., Barnett & Cooper, 2009; Everall & Paulson, 2004; Turner et al., 2007), this roundtable discussion offers participants the opportunity to focus on self-care issues for men in counseling psychology programs, with a focus on gender norm conformity. Furthermore, this discussion will explore intersecting identities (e.g., transgender men, men of color, men with disabilities) for men that affecting experiences of stress and coping in graduate school.
Men in Counseling Psychology Programs: Considering the Impact of Gender Norm Conformity on Self-Care
Fenn Tower Ballroom
Psychologists and psychology trainees must effectively cope with stress to provide competent and ethical professional services (e.g. Barnett et al., 2007; Elman & Forrest, 2007; Schwartz-Mette, 2009). While the idea of self-care as a means of coping with stress is not explicitly addressed in The APA Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct (APA, 2002), the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence and Standard 2.06 clearly apply (Wise et al., 2012). Self-care was recently identified as a foundational competency for psychologists (Rodolfa et al., 2005) and benchmarks for its assessment were identified (Fouad et al., 2009). Stressors for psychologists include normative life experiences and inherent risks associated with providing mental health services (e.g., Maltzman, 2011), while graduate students in psychology face additional stressors including academic responsibilities, financial pressures/large debt burdens, anxiety, and poor school/work/life balance (El-Ghoroury et al., 2012). Furthermore, while El-Ghoroury et al. (2012) reported no main effects for gender in analyses of stress, coping, and barriers to coping, discrimination was a greater source of stress for ethnic minority students. Rather than examining gender differences, conformity to traditional gender norms may allow a better understanding of gender issues that impact self-care for men. Mahalik et al. (2003) identify seven masculinity scripts that negatively affect men’s stress and coping, including their expressions of distress and their willingness to seek counseling (e.g., Addis & Mihalik, 2003; Hammer & Good, 2010; McKelley & Rochlen, 2010).
Because scholars have noted the importance of training in self-care (e.g., Barnett & Cooper, 2009; Everall & Paulson, 2004; Turner et al., 2007), this roundtable discussion offers participants the opportunity to focus on self-care issues for men in counseling psychology programs, with a focus on gender norm conformity. Furthermore, this discussion will explore intersecting identities (e.g., transgender men, men of color, men with disabilities) for men that affecting experiences of stress and coping in graduate school.
