Role of Masculinity in Relationships among Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Well-Being in Military Veterans
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine how the variables of mindfulness, self-compassion, and masculinity interact and relate to well-being (specifically in the form of coping and quality of life) in military veterans. Previous studies have demonstrated the health benefits of mindfulness and self-compassion for veterans (Polusny et al., 2015; Kearney et al., 2013). However, no studies appear to have addressed how adherence to traditional masculine norms, a prominent characteristic of military culture (Keats, 2010), may affect the relationships between mindfulness, self-compassion and well-being. Further, research has linked adherence to traditional masculine norms to poorer health (Jakupcak, Osborne, Michael, Cook, & McFall, 2006). One-hundred-sixty-four male and female veterans completed measures of all study variables via an online survey. Results demonstrated that mindfulness and self-compassion both predict better coping and quality of life and are related to lower adherence to traditional masculinity. Masculinity was found related to less active coping, more avoidant/negative emotionality coping, and worse mental health-related quality of life. However, the masculinity component of Dedication to Success was associated with greater mindfulness, more active coping and better quality of life. Masculinity was also found to moderate the relationship between mindfulness and avoidant/negative emotionality coping such that high masculinity appeared to interfere with the positive effect of mindfulness on avoidant/negative emotionality coping. Clinical implications are discussed for the implementation of mindfulness and self-compassion interventions with traditionally masculine populations.
Subject Area
Social psychology|Counseling Psychology|Clinical psychology|Gender studies
Recommended Citation
Abigail E Ramon,
"Role of Masculinity in Relationships among Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Well-Being in Military Veterans"
(2018).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI10840684.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI10840684