The Male Role and Mastectomy

To explore the psychosocial aspects of men's reactions and adjustments to mastectomy, this study used in-depth interviews with 24 husbands and clinical observations of a multisession men's support group as well as a test and retest analysis of questionnaire data. Sex role theory was used to explain how factors related to the male role complicate men's adjustment. Husbands placed a high priority on their wives' adjustment but kept their own feelings at bay. Men's adoption of a "protective guardian" role during their wives' hospitalization fostered denial and later blocked communication between spouses. Repeated-measures analysis of the questionnaire data indicated that support group members became significantly more communicative with spouses about mastectomy issues than did control group members. These quantitative findings parallel clinical observations.