Middle school boys who remain close to their mothers and who value "feminine" qualities such as emotional openness enjoy better mental health, according to a new study from Arizona State University.
- Dr. Carlos Santos and his colleagues studied 426 boys through their middle school years, having them fill out questionnaires about their attitudes toward stereotypical feminine and masculine attitudes.
- The boys answered true or false to questions like, "It is important to talk about my feelings with my friends," and "If I have a problem, I take care of it on my own."
- Those who valued openness and communication over traditional male qualities such as emotional stoicism and physical toughness scored higher on a measure of mental well-being called the Children's Depression Inventory.
- Boys who were close to their mothers were more emotionally available, and were less likely to adapt the hypermasculine behaviors.
Dr. Santos's study found no differences between American boys of African, European, Puerto Rican, Chinese, or Dominican heritage, but rather that all ethnic and racial groups tended to adopt masculine stereotypes at the same rate.
Dr. Santos believes that culture is the primary influence on boys' behavior, and that the male brain is not "hard wired" for certain behaviors.
This study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association.
Labels: mothers, emotional_growth, mental_health, middle_school
Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment
