Date of Award

January 2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Krista L. Minnotte

Abstract

Concussions are a significant public health issue, however, there is a lack of knowledge about concussions and a minimization of their severity in society. Prior research has identified various social stigmas, particularly in the world of contact sports, as deterrents for men reporting concussions. This study expands on the reasons why men do not report concussions by exploring the relationship between adherence to hegemonic masculinity and the knowledge and attitudes men have about concussions. College men (N =126) responded to survey questions related to concussion knowledge, concussion attitudes, adherence to toughness, and adherence to restrictive emotionality. Regression analyses were performed to test the relationships between the variables. Results suggests that higher adherence to toughness and restrictive emotionality are associated with attitudes that concussions are not serious. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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