*DISCLAIMER: This is not a survey and will not involve a survey in the future. Just looking to have a better idea of a topic before I begin making a study*

Hey all,

I'm starting my dissertation for a Counseling Psychology PhD and am interested in gaining the perspective of young men (ages 16-25 in the US) around how they view masculinity in general, their own relationship with it, and a little about how they feel like their masculinity affects seeking help for emotional or psychological difficulties. If you would like to have your voice heard and do an interview, please message me and I will take down your contact info for a later date (interviews likely won't happen for another year). Interview incentives have not been determined yet. The purpose of this post though is actually to get your help making the interview questions themselves. I believe that any study of a specific community should be framed by that community themselves. I would highly appreciate your perspective about what kinds of questions may get to the roots of your experiences and beliefs surrounding masculinity and mental health help-seeking.

Some of the more specific sub-concepts I'm interested in are (your suggestions to not have to relate to these):

  • How do contemporary young men define masculinity? What is their relationship to this aspect of identity?
  • How do young men form role models for what healthy masculinity looks like?
  • What role does social media play on creating ideas about masculinity?
  • What are men’s experiences like with power struggles for male dominance amongst their male-identifying peers?
  • What are contemporary young men’s friendships like? Are they comfortable being emotionally vulnerable with each other?
  • In what way has working class wage stagnation contributed to feelings of masculinity given financial independence and ownership is less viable?

My intention is twofold: Understand and uplift voices of an underrepresented population in terms of mental health support, and to help identify the ways we can collectively grant men greater freedom to pursue mental health and fulfillment if they choose to.