Life Course and Socioecological Influences on Gender-Equitable Attitudes Among Men: A Scoping Review. (July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Casey, Erin A.; Ihrig, Anna; Roman, Melinda; Hoxmeier, Jill C.; Carlson, Juliana; Greer, Kelsey
• Is Part Of: Trauma, violence & abuse. Volume 23:Number 3(2022)
• Page Start: 764
• Page End: 777
• Publication Date: 2022-07
• Subjects: gender-based violence -- gender-equitable attitudes -- gender norms -- engaging men and boys -- violence prevention; Child abuse -- Periodicals; Post-traumatic stress disorder in children -- Periodicals; Violence -- Periodicals; Family violence -- Periodicals; Violence envers les enfants -- Périodiques; Violence familiale -- Périodiques; Névroses post-traumatiques -- Périodiques; 616.8521
• DOI: 10.1177/1524838020977140
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1524-8380

Abstract

Emerging research suggests that holding gender-equitable attitudes (GEA) is associated with decreased risk of gender-based violence perpetration and increased willingness to engage in violence preventative actions among men. GEA, defined here as support for political, economic, and social equity across gender in both public and private spheres, may therefore constitute a protective factor against perpetration and a promotive factor in fostering healthy relationships and communities. Forces that shape GEA throughout boys' and young men's lives are less well articulated. The purpose of this exploratory, scoping review was to synthesize cross-disciplinary research to distill life-course influences on the development of GEA among men. Three databases and Google Scholar were searched to locate peer-reviewed studies that empirically examined GEA as an outcome of childhood, adolescent, or young adulthood factors. Sixty-nine articles were located that, collectively, used data from 97 different countries and identified 22 potential life-course influences on men's GEA. Across studies, facilitators of equitable attitudes included higher levels of education, exposure to gender transformative prevention programming, and having parents who held, modeled, and communicated gender-equitable beliefs. Hindrances to equitable attitudes included but were not limited to religiosity, the transition to fatherhood, and having mostly male peer groups. Findings suggest that opportunities to foster equitable attitudes exist across the life course and both inside and outside of formal prevention or education interventions.