Masculinity, Social Connectedness, and Mental Health: Men’s Diverse Patterns of Practice

• Published in: American journal of men's health Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 1247 - 1261
• Main Authors: McKenzie, Sarah K., Collings, Sunny, Jenkin, Gabrielle, River, Jo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.09.2018; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude to Health; Health Behavior; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Male; Masculinity; Men's Health; Mental health; New Zealand; Social Environment; Social Perception; Social Support; Special section-Mental Health & Wellbeing; Young Adult; New Zealand; social support; mental well-being; social connectedness; masculinity; gender relations; Mental health
• ISSN: 1557-9883; 1557-9891
• DOI: 10.1177/1557988318772732

Men’s mental health has remained undertheorized, particularly in terms of the gendered nature of men’s social relations. While the importance of social connections and strong supportive networks for improving mental health and well-being is well documented, we know little about men’s social support networks or how men go about seeking or mobilizing social support. An in-depth understanding of the gendered nature of men’s social connections and the ways in which the interplay between masculinity and men’s social connections can impact men’s mental health is needed. Fifteen life history interviews were undertaken with men in the community. A theoretical framework of gender relations was used to analyze the men’s interviews. The findings provide rich insights into men’s diverse patterns of practice in regards to seeking or mobilizing social support. While some men differentiated between their social connections with men and women, others experienced difficulties in mobilizing support from existing connections. Some men maintained a desire to be independent, rejecting the need for social support, whereas others established support networks from which they could actively seek support. Overall, the findings suggest that patterns of social connectedness among men are diverse, challenging the social science literature that frames all men’s social relationships as being largely instrumental, and men as less able and less interested than women in building emotional and supportive relationships with others. The implications of these findings for promoting men’s social connectedness and mental health are discussed.