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International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

226268

Hope in the face of despair

an acceptance and commitment therapy approach to working with suicidal ideation in men

André BolsterAzi Berzengi

pp. 439-459

Abstract

Men, on average, are two to three times more likely to die by suicide than women. While there are multiple factors contributing to this gender difference, a growing area of interest is exploring whether men are more likely to die by suicide because hegemonic views of masculinity make it more difficult for them to seek help at times of crisis. With a view to contributing to this literature, we consider how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may be used to increase men's psychological flexibility in the face of their emotional distress. As part of this exploration, we draw on the unique philosophy of science and theory of language and cognition underlying ACT to explain how the construction of male identity may contribute to this increased risk of suicide among men in the first place.

Publication details

Published in:

Kingerlee Roger, Seager Martin, Sullivan Luke (2019) The Palgrave handbook of male psychology and mental health. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.

Pages: 439-459

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-04384-1_22

Full citation:

Bolster André, Berzengi Azi (2019) „Hope in the face of despair: an acceptance and commitment therapy approach to working with suicidal ideation in men“, In: R. Kingerlee, M. Seager & L. Sullivan (eds.), The Palgrave handbook of male psychology and mental health, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 439–459.