It’s the people that make it special: an exploration of social connection as a protective factor supporting behavioural health among a sample of young men in Belfast

However, features of High Traditional Masculinity (the hegemonic form of masculine identity in Britain and Ireland) may inhibit the ability of men and boys to form and maintain emotionally intimate relationships, thereby limiting the number and strength of their connections to others and contributing to elevated levels of loneliness and psychiatric morbidity and mortality.

This study has explored the role of social connection to support good behavioural health among young men in Belfast, including serious adverse outcomes like suicidal thoughts and behaviours, through a three-phase explanatory sequential study design.In Phase 1, a secondary analysis was conducted of data from the Belfast Youth Development Study using a multilevel logistic regression. The findings of this analysis informed the development of the semi-structured interview schedule utilised in Phase 2, the analysis of which provided additional context for the model results.