Hailee Park ’25
Majors: Sociology and Psychology
Franklin, Indiana

Can you give a brief overview of your research?
My research under Dr. Conor O’Dea focuses on how masculine honor and mental health stigmas influence help-seeking behaviors. I have run two studies on this.  In my first study, I  found that honor-endorsing men perceive more self-stigma, and that self-stigma is a more significant mediator for their help-seeking behaviors—they seek help less often because of it. My second study primed participants with either self or public stigma to test study 1’s results experimentally and determine causation. While we didn’t get completely clear results, we did find that consistent with study 1, self-stigma is still a more prevalent reason why honor-endorsing men don’t seek help for their mental health. If they have more self-stigma or negative attitudes about themselves regarding mental health help-seeking, they won’t seek out internal or external support. The problem with this is men in honor cultures have higher rates of depression and suicide than men and women in non-honor cultures. Dr. O’Dea and I plan to publish my research at the end of the summer.

What inspired you to choose this research topic?
I have always known I want to pursue a career that allows me to help and give back to others in some way. I chose social work so I can become a licensed therapist. I’ve always been drawn to the mental health field because there is so much out there to be discovered, learned, treated, and advocated for. I also have been inspired by my own personal experiences with mental health disorders; I’ve always been around someone struggling with something, whether it’s minor stress and anxiety, ADHD, or severe OCD. Mental health disorders are more prevalent than most people realize, so I knew I wanted to research something in the mental health field so I could advocate for others who struggle with their mental health, even if the impact is small.

Which faculty member has inspired you the most and why?
Dr. Brian Day has always inspired me. I had classes with him when I was a freshman and a sophomore, and during that time I was very confused about what I was going to do after Butler. He was always there to make sure I, and my classmates, had the support we needed. He came to class every day excited and enthusiastic about the material, always had his door open for office hours, and was always willing to chat with me even if it wasn’t class-related. Dr. Day continued to support me even after my classes with him concluded. He helped me research grad schools, programs, and job opportunities for when I leave Butler. He even gave me a letter of recommendation that helped me get into grad school. I can’t thank him enough for always being supportive of me and my psych department peers.

How has this project influenced your academic or career goals?
This project has shown me that there is so much more work to be done in the mental health field, especially with men’s mental health. I knew I wanted to go into social work and be a therapist, but I wasn’t sure which population I wanted to work with. This project helped me to realize that I would love to work with young men who might be afraid to speak up to others. I want to be an outlet for them so they can feel supported and know that the typical “boys don’t cry” stereotype is overrated, and that talking about our feelings is so important for our mental health.  
What’s the best thing about being a Bulldog?
The Psychology department is like no other. The faculty is so welcoming and supportive, and there’s always someone to say hi to. The Psychology Department is my favorite thing about being a Bulldog because every time I walk in, I know I’ll be celebrated, valued, and pushed to be the best version of myself.