Can a documentary increase help-seeking intentions in men? A randomised controlled trial
Open accessAbstract
Background: We investigated whether a public health intervention—a three-part documentary called Man Up which explored the relationship between masculinity and mental health, well-being and suicidality—could increase men’s intentions to seek help for personal and emotional problems. Methods: We recruited men aged 18 years or over who were not at risk of suicide to participate in a double-blind randomised controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) via computer randomisation to view Man Up (the intervention) or a control documentary. We hypothesised that 4 weeks after viewing Man Up participants would report higher levels of intention to seek help than those who viewed the control documentary. Our primary outcome was assessed using the General Help Seeking Questionnaire, and was analysed for all participants. The trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12616001169437, Universal Trial Number: U1111-1186-1459) and was funded by the Movember Foundation. Results: Three hundred and fifty-four men were assessed for eligibility for the trial and randomised to view Man Up or the control documentary. Of these, 337 completed all stages (nine participants were lost to follow-up in the intervention group and eight in the control group). Linear regression analysis showed a significant increase in intentions to seek help in the intervention group, but not in the control group (coef.=2.06, 95% CI 0.48 to 3.63, P=0.01). Conclusions: Our trial demonstrates the potential for men’s health outcomes to be positively impacted by novel, media-based public health interventions that focus on traditional masculinity. Trial registration number: ACTRN12616001169437, Results.
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Drawing men's attention to the potential benefits of treatment and how seeking help can improve long-term outcomes may improve their motivation to seek help.
“Similarly, drawing men’s attention to the potential benefits of treatment and how seeking help can improve long-term outcomes may also improve their motivation to seek help (King et al., 2018).”
From Improving Mental Health Service Utilization Among Men: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Behavior Change Techniques Within Interventions Targeting Help-Seeking (2019) · cites this paper as King et al., 2018
The Methods (Procedures; page unavailable) say the documentary showed men whose trajectories improved after seeking help, and the Results (page unavailable) report increased intentions to seek help among viewers. The paper does not isolate attention to treatment benefits as the cause of that increase, and its examples include informal help rather than treatment specifically. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe engagement strategies highlighted the "social comparison" BCT by providing someone one could relate to.
“These highlighted the “social comparison” BCT as it provided someone who one could relate to (Hammer & Vogel, 2010; King et al., 2018; Rochlen et al., 2006).”
From Improving Mental Health Service Utilization Among Men: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Behavior Change Techniques Within Interventions Targeting Help-Seeking (2019) · cites this paper as King et al., 2018
The "vicarious consequences" BCT was used within one engagement strategy, whereby men with lived experience discussed how seeking mental health help improved their overall trajectory.
“Also, the BCT of “vicarious consequences” was used within one engagement strategy, whereby men with lived experience discussed how seeking mental health help improved their overall trajectory (King et al., 2018).”
From Improving Mental Health Service Utilization Among Men: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Behavior Change Techniques Within Interventions Targeting Help-Seeking (2019) · cites this paper as King et al., 2018
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References 26 · Cited by 74
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- Authors
- King, K. E., Schlichthorst, M., Spittal, M. J., Phelps, A., & Pirkis, J.
- Affiliations
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Corresponding author
- King, Kylie Elizabeth
- Venue
- Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2017-11-03
- Volume
- 72
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 92-98
- ISSN
- 0141-7681 (ISSN-L)
- 0143-005X
- 1470-2738
- PMC
- PMC5753028
- OpenAlex
- W2765889764
- Cited by
- 74
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 5
- FWCI
- 10.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc
- Locations
- Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- The Movember Foundation
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
- Keywords
- help-seeking intentions, masculinity, men's mental health, suicide prevention, emotional problems, well-being
- MeSH terms
- Help-Seeking Behavior, Adult, Attitude to Health, Australia, Double-Blind Method, Humans, Male, Men, Middle Aged, Motion Pictures, Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Surveys and Questionnaires, Intention, Young Adult
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