Purpose. Violence continues to be a serious social problem that has been addressed in extensive theoretical and empirical literature. Statistics suggest that men are the predominant perpetrators of violence and violent crime. Researchers and theorists are continually attempting to understand why men remain so violent. Gender role conflict theory and men's ability to conform or not conform to masculine norms may assist researchers, theorists and mental health professionals in understanding the causes of men's violence. Gender role conflict is a psychological state in which socialized gender roles have negative consequences on the person or others. Conformity to masculine norms has both positive and negative consequences for men. The importance of these theories is far reaching, especially for mental health professionals due to the association of gender role conflict and conformity to masculine norms in men and suggested links to sexist and misogynous behaviors initiated by men. This study examines violent men as a social problem and utilizes gender role conflict theory and conformity to masculine norms as a framework to potentially improve our understanding of why men continue to victimize others through violence.

Methods. The study was conducted at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility. The sample consisted of 258 detainees and prisoners from Plymouth County. The first hypothesis postulated that men who were violent would have high levels of gender role conflict. When controlling for other variables, violence would remain statistically significant. In the second hypothesis, men who were violent would have high levels of conformity to masculine norms. When controlling for other variables, violence would remain statistically significant. A multiple regression analysis compared both violence and gender role conflict and violence and conformity to masculine norms. Independent and control variables included race, age, education, and religious affiliation.

Results. A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted examining violence as the dependent variable. In the analysis, race, age, education and religious affiliation was entered in the first step as control variables. For the second step the independent variable gender role conflict was entered along with the control variables. In the third step, the next independent variable conformity to masculine norms was added once again with control variables. Examining violence scores indicated that the first step of the hierarchical regression was significant at p < .001 accounting for 12% of the variance. In the second step of the hierarchical regression, violence remained statistically significant at p < .001 and accounted for 27% of the variance. In the third and final hierarchical regression, violence continued to remain significant at p < .001and accounted for 39% of the variance. Age, religious affiliation, gender role conflict and conformity to masculine norms all remained statistically significant in all three steps of the hierarchical regression.

Discussion. Implications of this study impact both micro and macro practice. Social workers can guide their clients by examining societal expectations for men and how to overcome them through therapeutic intervention. Policy implications include educational programs designed to sensitize parents, teachers and coaches to the adverse effects of gender role socialization.