Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Men face barriers to seeking help for mental health challenges that contribute to low uptake and retention of clinical supports and treatment. While much work has been done to understand gender-related barriers to help-seeking, efforts are needed to address these factors and engage men in mental health promotion. For example, while many men may be reluctant to ask for help themselves, the vast majority report that they would be willing to help other men with their mental health challenges. Therefore, by positioning men as help-givers and emphasizing the reciprocal benefits of helping each other, it may be possible to norm mutual help and equip men with the knowledge, resources, and confidence to support others (as well as themselves). These values of mutual help and comradery align well with masculinities related to teamwork, often seen in sport and other physical activities. However, research is needed to explore men's mutual mental health help and how best to integrate physical activity to support deeper social connections. This research will involve two phases and begin with qualitative interviews (n=50) to understand men's experiences and perspectives of giving and receiving mutual help for mental health challenges. Next, findings will be used to inform the development of a novel e-intervention for men. The intervention will be pilot-tested online through the HeadsUpGuys website and include virtual modules and meetups to connect and empower men through physical activity and mutual mental health help. Men (n=200) will be recruited to test the intervention for feasibility and provide feedback for further refinement. Overall, the results of this research will provide important information about men's mutual help for mental health challenges as well as opportunities to normalize men's mental health promotion and help-seeking as a mutually beneficial endeavour.