Masculinity as an avoidance symptom of posttraumatic stress.

Abstract

For individuals diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma-related stimuli signal danger and provoke high levels of anxiety. Avoidance of these stimuli, a key feature of PTSD, prevents emotional processing of the thoughts, feelings, and cognitions associated with a traumatic event. This study examined how masculinity norms can function as a precipitant of trauma-related avoidance behaviors for male survivors of sexual assault. The gendered context of trauma, as well as the survivor’s gender identity, may lead survivors to employ avoidance behaviors associated with traditional masculinities in an attempt to protect from future harm. Interviews were conducted with 21 male veterans who had reported experiencing military sexual trauma (MST) to their clinician. Data were drawn together using a grounded theory methodology. A 3-category model emerged depicting the gendered behaviors participants described following arousal to threatening stimuli (e.g., enact heterosexuality to avoid blame, engage in sex to avoid negative thoughts, appear strong to avoid feeling weak). The resulting model is discussed in light of evidence-based PTSD treatments.