Male police officers’ mental health : The double-edged sword of masculine ideologies.

Rogers, Rachel and Limmer, Mark and Holland, Paula (2026) Male police officers’ mental health : The double-edged sword of masculine ideologies. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

Policing is a high-risk occupation that exposes officers to psychological harm; research indicates rising mental ill-health among UK officers with wide operational and personal consequences. Despite suffering higher levels of psychological distress than the general population, officers’ use of available mental health services remains markedly low due to stigma, confidentiality concerns and difficulties accessing care. Moreover, the masculinised culture of policing-often implicated in shaping male officers’ mental health awareness and help-seeking-remains underexplored. Although hegemonic masculinities theory has informed civilian men’s mental health studies, it has yet to be applied to the distinct experiences and support needs of UK male police officers. Filling that gap, this study explores how masculine norms indigenous to policing culture shape recognition of distress and engagement with care. Sixteen male officers with lived experience of mental ill-health and successful help-seeking were interviewed using a semi-structured format. Following reflexive thematic analysis, their experiences and suggestions are presented via four themes; “The Rise and Fall of Robocop”, “Helpseeking ... How you’re under control?”, “Raging against the machine” and “The Human/e solution”. Contrary to current understanding, this study shows that male officers do seek help, however multiple systemic misalignments meant that successful support engagement required repeated attempts, escalation in clinical severity or the intervention of a trusted intermediary. The findings are discussed in the context of current policing culture, highlighting how male officers’ lives are influenced by the hegemonic ideals around them, enabling effective public service to the detriment of their wellbeing, and how austerity-driven resource cuts and performance indicators in policing are neglecting the needs of male officers specifically. This study extends present understandings of police mental health aetiology and highlights the inequities faced by male officers experiencing mental ill-health. It concludes with practical recommendations for policy and practice, advocating gender sensitive, culturally competent interventions within policing.