Gender Differences in Perceived Happiness and Well-Being of Individuals Who Engage in Contemptuous Communication

The present study investigated whether the relationship between contempt and mental health outcomes differed by gender. Participants (N = 214) completed measures of happiness, general well-being, and contempt expression. The findings indicate a contrast in mental health outcomes associated with contempt expression for males and females. Specifically, males who expressed high levels of contempt reported higher levels of happiness and general well-being than males who expressed low levels of contempt; whereas, females who expressed high levels of contempt reported lower levels of happiness than females who expressed low levels of contempt. Implications for theory and future research are discussed.