Journal Facts

Journal
International Journal of Self-Help and Self-Care
ISSN
1091-2851 (print) 1541-4450 (electronic)
Volume
8
Issue
1
Date
1/1/2014

Article Facts

Title
Long-Term Changes among Participants in a Men's Mutual-Help Organization
DOI
10.2190/SH.8.1.j
Authors
  • Kenneth I. Maton
  • Eric S. Mankowski
  • Clinton W. Anderson
  • Edward R. Barton
  • David R. Karp
  • Björn Ratjen
Pages
85-112
Online Date
03/04/2014

Article Links

Long-Term Changes among Participants in a Men's Mutual-Help Organization

Kenneth I. Maton
Eric S. Mankowski
Clinton W. Anderson
Edward R. Barton
David R. Karp
Björn Ratjen

DOI: 10.2190/SH.8.1.j

Abstract

This article presents findings from a longitudinal study of participants in the ManKind Project, International (MKP-I), a mutual help and personal development organization for men. The study tests whether gender role conflict and other gendered beliefs, psychological well-being, social support, and goal importance and satisfaction improve over the 2-year period of observation. Participants (n = 293) from local centers across the United States and Canada were surveyed on five occasions over a 24-month period before, during, and in some cases after participation ended. As hypothesized, t-tests indicate that outcomes improved after the initial weekend of participation. Many of the initial changes endured across the entire 2-year follow-up period, though the survey response rate declined substantially over this time. MKP-I's self-selected participants may be enabled through self-help and mutual aid group processes to reduce adherence to traditional masculine gender role expectations and increase the meaning and psychological quality of their lives.

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