Men's Depression Talk Online: A Qualitative Analysis of Accountability and Authenticity in Help-Seeking and Support Formulations

We know that twice as many women are diagnosed with depression as men, and that ‘masculinity’ issues can inhibit men from conceding psychological distress. However, research to date has been limited to studies of men diagnosed or assessed as depressed, and analyst-driven masculinity concepts have arguably structured the data analysis. One way around these issues is to study how men construct depression themselves – without the influence of a researcher – and how they support other men to manage their depression. This paper reports on a qualitative constructionist thematic analysis of mens’ talk on an online support forum, and focuses on how men work up a credible account of depression (first posts) - and how peers respond to different accounts of depression (response posts). Our analysis indicates that although medical discourse (e.g. diagnosis) is referenced as essential for validation of depression accounts, those men without a diagnosis may still receive support if their account is designed in particular ways (e.g. is detailed, cites extenuating circumstances, positions the individual as proactive). More generally, the analysis highlights the delicate and complex discursive work involved in depression accounts, and we reflect on how issues of accountability and authenticity may be mitigated in mental health service provision for men.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0039456