An Online Behavioral Health Intervention Promoting Mental Health, Manhood, and Social Support for Young Black Men: The YBMen Project

Abstract

<jats:p> Conventional definitions of mental health, manhood, and social support create barriers to accessing behavioral health care for Black men ages 18 to 30. Targeted behavioral health interventions sensitive to culture, social norms, and gender that circumvent these barriers are desperately needed to improve access and integrated care for this group. This article reports mixed methods findings from the 2017 iteration of the Young Black Men, Masculinities, and Mental Health (YBMen) project, a social media–based, psychoeducational program that promotes mental health, progressive definitions of manhood, and sustainable social support for Black men. Young Black men ( n = 350) across two universities in the Midwest completed baseline surveys on their mental health, definitions of manhood, and social support. Forty of the men participated in the YBMen intervention and at postintervention reported experiencing fewer depressive symptoms on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, Z = −2.05, p &lt; .01) and the Gotland Male Depression Scale (GMDS; Z = −1.76, p &lt; .05). There were also changes on the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (CMNI) for Self-Reliance ( Z = −0.34, p = .26) and Heterosexual Self-Presentation ( Z = −0.18, p = .59), though these changes were not statistically significant. A qualitative review of postintervention interviews revealed participants’ appreciation of the YBMen project and its influence on their mental health, manhood, and social support. Programmatic efforts that support the behavioral health, positive development, and social relationships of Black men translate into positive families, communities, and experiences as they live, learn, love, and work over the life course. </jats:p>

An Exploratory Case Study of the Types of Resources Black Boys Use to Support Their Mental Health

“…We used an exploratory case study design [ 45 ] for this study. We collected demographic and focus group data from Black male high school students to learn about their race and gender identities, their mental health needs, and the feasibility of developing a modified version of the Young Black Men, Masculinities, and Mental Health (YBMen) project [ 46 , 47 , 48 ] for Black high school boys in southeastern Michigan. The YBMen project [ 46 , 47 , 48 ] was launched in 2014.…”

“…We collected demographic and focus group data from Black male high school students to learn about their race and gender identities, their mental health needs, and the feasibility of developing a modified version of the Young Black Men, Masculinities, and Mental Health (YBMen) project [ 46 , 47 , 48 ] for Black high school boys in southeastern Michigan. The YBMen project [ 46 , 47 , 48 ] was launched in 2014. This psychoeducational, behavioral health intervention has been delivered as a social media-based mental health education and social support program for young adult Black men.…”

“…The current study reports findings from the Black boys only, because the needs of this minority within a minority are rarely centralized in research efforts [ 46 ], and we sought to elevate their needs in this study. Future reports will include results from our analysis of both focus groups, allowing us to see what a tailored YBMen program might consist of for Black boys in high school in light of previous, successful YBMen programs among Black college men [ 48 ]. The institutional review board at the home university approved research protocols for the study.…”

Examining Hashtag Use of #blackboyjoy and #theblackmancan and Related Content on Instagram: Descriptive Content Analysis

“…Ideals associated with masculine norms are important to assess as social constructions of masculinity are significant barriers to the uptake of mental health-promotion efforts and often negatively impact mental well-being among Black men [31][32][33]. According to gender role conflict constructs [34], due to masculine norms and expectations, men have difficulty balancing workplace and family demands and are socialized to be competitive, emotionally restrictive, and refrain from showing affection for other men [34].…”

Mental Health in College Populations: A Multidisciplinary Review of What Works, Evidence Gaps, and Paths Forward

“…Online peer support interventions may also hold promise, particularly for student populations that are less likely to utilize mental health treatment (Watkins & Jefferson, 2013). For example, an online, social media-based intervention addressing mental health, manhood, and sustainable social support with Black college men and their peers reduced depressive symptoms among participants in a mixed methods pre-to-post study (Watkins et al, 2020).…”