Monakhova, D.A.
The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
Khlomov, K.D.
Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation
Yurova, D.Sh.
National Research University Higher School of Economics
Abstract
Background. There are differences between men and women in seeking psychological help, with men receiving it to a lesser extent. Researchers attribute this to the fact that men, subject to masculine gender role prescriptions, will strive to maintain a self-image as strong, invulnerable, and capable of handling all problems on their own, which hinders their intention to seek professional help. Furthermore, a lack of psychological help can lead to deterioration in well-being and quality of life, and in some cases, complete maladjustment. This emphasises the need for research into attitudes toward seeking for psychological help in men to understand what can increase their rate of help-seeking and, consequently, their well-being. In addition to its practical significance, this study offers a new perspective on gender personality type as a component of a person’s identity that can potentially undergo change during psychotherapy, thus contributing to comprehensive research on the psychological help.
Objectives. The goal is to define differences in attitudes towards seeking for psychological help among people with varying gender roles and experiences of seeking for help.
Study Participants. The study involved respondents (N = 296) aged 18 to 74 years (M = 32,2; SD = 14,5) including 160 females and 136 males.
Methods. Groups of men and women were compared, (including women and men with different gender personality types), with regard to their attitudes towards seeking for psychological help, as well as men and women with different psychotherapy experiences as related to their attitudes toward seeking for psychological help and expressing masculinity. The Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services (IASMHS) and the Bem Sex Role Inventory were used. Differences were tested using the analysis of variance (ANOVA). A series of two-way ANOVAs was also conducted to examine the interactions between gender personality types, gender, and experience with psychological help.
Results. The results of statistical data processing allow to state that women have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help than men and that in the men’s group there are differences in attitudes towards seeking psychological help among people with various gender roles. Also, people with different help-seeking experiences do not differ in masculinity. However, people with various psychotherapy experiences, women in particular, have different attitudes towards seeking for psychological help. No interaction between factors was found.
Conclusions. Based on the study results, the assumption that experience in psychotherapy could change a person’s gender schema
is not supported. It was found that men have a rather negative attitude as compared to women toward seeking for assistance from
mental health professionals, and that masculinity in men negatively correlates with their willingness to seek psychological help.
In women, experience in psychotherapy correlates with their attitudes towards seeking for psychological help. No interaction
between factors of gender personality type and experience in psychotherapy was found, suggesting the existence of two distinct
models in forming attitudes towards seeking for psychological help among individuals of different sexes.
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To cite this article:
Monakhova, D.A., Khlomov, K.D., Yurova, D.Sh. .
How do Client’s Experiences and Gender Personality Types Determine the Seek for Psychological Help?. // National Psychological Journal
2026. 1. Pages54-64. doi: 10.11621/npj.2026.0105
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