Building Bridges: Promising Strategies for Improving the Health of Boys and Men by Promoting Social Connection and Support

"It is imperative that global programs accompany boys and men in strengthening their relationship and social skills and building healthy, supportive friendships for improved health outcome throughout their lives."

This technical brief reflects findings and insights from a desk review of literature on social connections and health outcomes among boys and men. It describes what influences relationship building and friendships among boys and men and how the quality and longevity of these relationships can influence their health behaviours and outcomes throughout their lives. Published by the Interagency Gender Working Group (IAWG)'s Male Engagement Task Force, the brief provides examples of existing projects and suggests several evidence-based ways to promote healthy relationships, such as by supporting skills in empathy, interpersonal communication, and male-only spaces that promote deep connection. The brief is intended for programme implementers whose work engages boys and men across diverse implementation settings (e.g., schools, communities, health facilities, and online platforms).

As explained in the brief, "As boys age, their friendships commonly become less intimate and more transactional. This shift in relationship dynamics often reflects boys' increasing embodiment of normative masculine traits and behaviors that discourage prosocial behavior and can reduce the quality and longevity of social connection and support necessary to navigate life's challenges, successes, and transitions. Limited social connection and support negatively impacts boys' and men's health outcomes over time. More strategies and programs that promote social connection and build the relationship and social skills associated with healthy, supportive friendships are needed to positively impact health outcomes throughout their lives."

The brief, therefore, seeks to support the advancement of thinking and action at the intersection of social connection and health outcomes among boys and men, address evidence gaps in linkages between social connection and gender equality outcomes, and support the dissemination and adaptation of strategies and programmes, especially in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) contexts. It does this, firstly, by highlighting key elements of effective and promising programme strategies as identified in the desk review. These involve:

• Cultivating empathy and compassion as lifelong practice;
• Promoting and reinforcing communication and interpersonal skills; and
• Facilitating access to opportunities for social connection.

For each of these strategies, the brief looks at anticipated outcomes and programmatic approaches. For example, an anticipated outcome of cultivating empathy and compassion as lifelong practice is reduced bullying and violence across diverse implementation settings (e.g., schools, communities, health facilities, and online platforms). An approach here could involve conducting role-play and simulation exercises that allow participants to grapple with challenging scenarios and practice how they might respond.

This portion of the brief is followed by a discussion of examples of effective and promising programmes that emerged from the desk review and that reflect one or more of the strategies described above. They include:

• Roots of Empathy - This project involves classroom visits by a new mother with her baby every month throughout the school year. Students are coached to recognise and connect with the vulnerability and humanity of the baby. As a result of the intervention, the project identified fewer aggressive behaviours and increased prosocial behaviour, such as comforting a child who is crying or upset, as a result of the intervention.
• Equimundo: Program H - The Program H methodology consists of group education activities such as roleplaying and reflective dialogue on important issues to help change attitudes, adjust coping mechanisms, and introduce healthier ways to navigate conflict. The programme objectives are designed to address gender inequitable attitudes that influence sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender-based violence, without explicitly fostering elements of social connection.
• Global Associations: Men's Sheds - Sheds are informal, accessible spaces where older men gather to participate in social and practical activities, such as woodworking, with peers while contributing to their communities. The Sheds are designed to bolster social connection and support and contribute to improved health and well-being among participants.
• The Listening Project - This project employs transformative interviewing techniques to challenge stereotypes and cultivate a sense of curiosity and connection. Participants are asked to interview each other, as well as others in their community, and then present their findings in public spaces and venues. This approach gives them an opportunity to publicly share what they learned about another person through transformative interviewing.

Based on the findings, the brief proposes key recommendations for programmes seeking to foster healthy relationship-building and friendships in support of improved social connection and health outcomes among boys and men. The brief notes that although the evidence that informs these recommendations emerged from programmes primarily implemented in high-income country contexts, they can be considered and adapted for implementation in LMIC contexts.

1. Integrate content on relationship building and friendships into existing programmes working with boys and men, across all health and development sectors, and assess its impact on social, behavioural, and health outcomes.
2. Develop and implement school-based and community-based programmes focused on relationship building and friendships that centre emotional intelligence, emotional expression, and other critical knowledge, skills, and abilities.
3. Design and implement activities that provide opportunities for boys and men to learn beliefs, values, norms, and practices that support healthy relationship building and friendships throughout their lives.
4. Encourage open and honest dialogue about normative masculine traits and behaviours that discourage prosocial behaviour and their impact on emotional intelligence, emotional expression, social connection, and health and well-being.
5. Support and expand existing community-based strategies and programmes like Men's Sheds and men's support groups that provide spaces for boys and men to connect, share, and support one another. Create such spaces where not currently available.
6. Advocate for policies and initiatives that promote boys' and men's health and well-being, and raise awareness of linkages between social connection and health outcomes.

Finally, the report offers a list of key considerations for programme design and adaptation that includes, for example, conducting a situation analysis, adopting a do-no-harm approach, leveraging social media and newer technologies, and fostering public dialogue around social connection and health outcomes.

Editor's note: On June 11 2024, IAWG's Male Engagement Task Force presented a webinar focused on this document. Click here for a recap of the webinar; click on the video below to watch the webinar recording.