Anchoring Masculinity in Interdependence Through Outdoor Experiential Education

Abstract

Conformity to western socialized norms of masculinity has been associated with negative mental health outcomes and is considered to be a factor in systemic oppression. Encouraging men to engage in help-seeking behaviors is a frequently noted solution, however, there has been limited prior research identifying methods to achieve this. This study consists of two phases; 1). The development and initial validation of the Anchored Interdependent Masculinity Scale (AIMS), 2). Exploring whether a nature-based intervention may prove effective in engaging masculine-identified individuals in help-seeking behaviors. Phase 1 of this project involved two studies distributed via Facebook advertising to recruit a representative sample (n1= 186; n2=155) across the United States. Initial analysis found that the AIMS was an effective metric to gauge individual association with masculinity norms compared to current psychometric scales. The second phase involved an initial feasibility study that engaged five participants in a week-long nature-based mindfulness retreat. The second phase used a mixed methods concurrent triangulation which combined one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design with case study field observations. Findings suggested that a nature-based intervention may; 1.) Shift participant anchoring of masculinity to one of interdependence, 2.) Reduce symptoms of depression anxiety and stress, and 3.) Enhance connectedness to nature. Though initial results are promising, future research is required to further validate the effectiveness of a nature-based intervention for masculine-identified individuals.