The strain of deconstruction: self-care and men’s mental health among psychology students

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse the discrepancy between self-perceived care and actual mental health practices among young male university students. A quantitative-qualitative, descriptive, field-based approach was adopted, utilising semi-structured interviews. The sample consisted of nine men, aged 18 to 35, who were final-year psychology students and were both working and studying. Thematic analysis and a statistical-descriptive strategy were used for data analysis. The results indicate that 80% of participants consider Brazilian men to be negligent regarding their health, and 66% recognise this negligence in themselves. It was found that the participants demonstrate a critical awareness that ‘being a man’ is a social and heteronormative construct harmful to mental health. However, this understanding does not easily translate into deconstruction. It was observed that individuals feel ‘imprisoned’ by cultural norms, a process correlated with symbolic violence, where vulnerability is stigmatised. Despite this, some participants signalled an openness to the (re)construction of masculinity, questioning traditional roles such as that of the provider.