Male-Type Depression Mediates the Relationship between Avoidant Coping and Suicidal Ideation in Men

Kieran M. O’Gorman, Michael J. Wilson, Zac E. Seidler, Derek English, Ian T. Zajac, Krista S. Fisher and Simon M. Rice ()
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Kieran M. O’Gorman: Orygen, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
Michael J. Wilson: Orygen, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
Zac E. Seidler: Orygen, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
Derek English: Orygen, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
Ian T. Zajac: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Krista S. Fisher: Orygen, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
Simon M. Rice: Orygen, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 17, 1-13

Abstract: Despite known links between men’s avoidant coping behaviours (e.g., distraction, denial, substance use) and suicide risk, little research has explored the mechanisms underpinning this relationship. This study sought to examine whether male-type depression symptoms (e.g., anger, aggression, emotion suppression), assessed by the Male Depression Risk Scale, mediate the association between avoidant coping and suicide/self-harm ideation in men. Data were drawn from an online survey of a community sample of 606 Australian men ( M age = 50.11 years; SD = 15.00), conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mediation analyses were applied to examine the effect of male-type depression on the association between avoidant coping and suicidal/self-harm ideation, controlling for age, resilience and the experience of two psychosocial stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic (financial stress and government restrictions). Avoidant coping was associated with suicidal/self-harm ideation, r = 0.45, p < 0.001. Results supported a mediating role of male-type depression symptoms in this relationship, R 2 = 0.29, P M = 0.36, p < 0.001, underscoring the importance of screening for male-type depression symptoms to better identify men at risk of suicidal/self-harm ideation. Results also suggest a need to support men to develop effective coping strategies, particularly in the context of common psychosocial stressors experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Keywords: avoidant coping; suicide; self-harm; male-type depression; COVID-19; substance use; emotion suppression; anger; aggression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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