Male Alexithymia and Masculinity: The Relationship between BAME and White British Men by Sameea Alam

Alexithymia is defined as the inability to identify and express a person's own emotions. Research suggests that it is also likely to be one of the contributing factors as to why men are three times more likely than women to die by suicide in the UK. It is also implied that traditional male role norms and values that boys and men are socialised with from a young age impact on this lack of emotional awareness and expression. Furthermore, current studies show that mental health issues are more prevalent in Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities and that there is a huge lack of awareness within these groups when it comes to emotions and mental health. Therefore this research project will firstly investigate the relationship between Normative Male Alexithymia and traditional male role norms in British men. Secondly, it will examine whether there is an association between Normative Male Alexithymia and BAME participants in comparison to White participants; and traditional masculinities when compared with BAME and White participants. A correlational design will be employed to analyse the findings of the study. The results from this research project could potentially raise awareness as to why men are more reluctant to openly discuss their emotions. This in turn could benefit counsellors to understand and communicate more effectively with male clients especially those from a BAME community.

Diffinnir Alexithymia fel anallu rhywun i adnabod a mynegi emosiynau. Mae ymchwil yn awgrymu ei bod hefyd yn debygol o fod yn un o’r ffactorau sy’n cyfrannu at pam mae dynion deirgwaith yn fwy tebygol na menywod o farw drwy hunanladdiad yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Awgrymir hefyd bod normau a gwerthoedd rôlau gwrywaidd traddodiadol y mae bechgyn a dynion yn cael eu cymdeithasu â nhw o oedran ifanc yn effeithio ar y diffyg ymwybyddiaeth emosiynol a mynegiant hwnnw. Hefyd, mae astudiaethau cyfredol yn dangos bod problemau iechyd meddwl yn fwy cyffredin mewn cymunedau Du, Asiaidd, Lleiafrifoedd Ethnig (BAME) a bod diffyg ymwybyddiaeth enfawr o fewn y grwpiau hynny ynghylch emosiynau ac iechyd meddwl. Felly bydd y project ymchwil hwn yn ymchwilio'n gyntaf i'r berthynas rhwng Alecsithymia Gwrywaidd Normadol a normau rôl gwrywaidd traddodiadol mewn dynion Prydeinig. Yn ail, bydd yn archwilio a oes cysylltiad rhwng Alexithymia Gwrywaidd Normadol a chyfranogwyr BAME o gymharu â chyfranogwyr Gwyn; a gwrywdodau traddodiadol o’u cymharu â chyfranogwyr BAME a Gwyn. Defnyddir cynllun cydberthyniadol i ddadansoddi canfyddiadau'r astudiaeth. Gallai canlyniadau’r project ymchwil godi ymwybyddiaeth ynghylch pam mae dynion yn fwy amharod i drafod eu hemosiynau’n agored. Gallai hynny yn ei dro fod o fudd i gwnselwyr ddeall a chyfathrebu’n fwy effeithiol gyda chleientiaid gwrywaidd yn enwedig y rhai o gymuned BAME.

Sameea will be online for the duration of the conference (1pm to 5pm 19th May 2022) so please post your comments and questions below during the conference for a real-time reply.

[elisegwilym]

Great presentation Sameea - great to have more understanding of ethnic groups.

[lorraineann]

Great to include BAME men in your study as there is too much focus traditionally on white males. Very informative. What needs to change to encourage BAME males to seek counseling?

[emmabeacham]

Thank you, really interesting presentation. You mention that BAME groups have higher socialisation of gender norms. I was wondering if your research, or the literature had explanations for why that was the case?

[simondavies]

Really Interesting Sameea, was there any differences between older BAME participants and younger in terms of NMA and MRNI?

[jonathank]

I wondered if male alexithymia could be associated with a fear of intimacy?