Profile of Masculine Norms and Help-Seeking Stigma in College Football

This study represents an interdisciplinary endeavor between the fields of sport psychology and the psychological study of men and masculinity. The purpose of this study was to provide a greater understanding of the relationship between traditional masculine norms and help-seeking attitudes within the unique context of football. We examined conformity to masculine norms and help-seeking stigma within a sample of 245 college football players. Cluster analytic methods were used to create a profile of participants' conformity to traditional masculine norms (i.e., clusters), then we evaluated those clusters in relation to stigma toward seeking professional psychological help. Results indicated the presence of three clusters, each of which presented unique combinations of conformity to masculine norms: a) Non-Conforming Players; b) Paradoxical Competitors; and c) Highly Conforming Players. Members of the Highly Conforming Players and Paradoxical Competitors clusters reported significantly higher levels of stigma toward help-seeking than members of the Non-Conforming Players cluster. Results provided insight into the relationship between masculinity socialization and the stigmatization of help-seeking within sport. Psychologists can use the results of this study to design interventions to help athletes identify messages of masculinity operating within sport and encourage student-athletes to ask for help so they can better maximize their success on and off the field.