Distress Concealment and Depression Symptoms in a National Sample of Canadian Men Feeling Understood and Loneliness as Sequential Mediators

Abstract

Men's tendency to conceal their distress has been linked with increased depressive symptoms. Although interpersonal connectedness has been associated with distress concealment and depression, it is unclear how connectedness mediates this association. The aim of the present study was to examine the mediating effects of feeling understood and loneliness-two facets of interpersonal connectedness-in the association between distress concealment and depressive symptoms in men. A sample of 530 Canadian men was selected based on age- and region-stratification that reflects the national population. Participants completed measures of depression symptoms, distress concealment, loneliness, and feeling u..