Gender Role Strain and the Psychological Health of Filipino Gay Men

Abstract

Gender role strain (GRS) has been shown to be associated with psychological health of men. However, research has focused on White, middle-class, heterosexual males in the U.S. Studies on how this phenomenon occurs in Asian male groups, in their countries of origin, are limited. In this study, the research by Rubio and Green (2009) was replicated and built on; the GRS and psychological health of 205 Filipino heterosexual and gay men in the Philippines were evaluated. Analyses indicate that the GRS of Filipino gay men in the Philippines is not significantly different from heterosexual men, and that the GRS of Filipino gay men in the Philippines correlates significantly with their depression, global anxiety, stress and social anxiety. Implications for mental health practice, social policy, and future research are presented.

Keywords

• gender role strain
• men’s psychological health
• Asian masculinities