The University of Maryland School of Social Work and Grit Digital Health have announced a new research on the efficacy of ManTherapy.org, an innovative suicide prevention and mental health program for working-aged men.
Man Therapy is designed as a comprehensive public awareness campaign and uses humor to connect with men, break through stigma, and help them engage with life-saving tools. The innovative campaign and 24/7 digital platform encourages men to think differently about mental health and take action before ever reaching a point of crisis.
The Research
From September 2016 to January 2019, a total of 554 men, aged 25-64, throughout the state of Michigan participated in a $1.2 million, CDC-funded randomized controlled trial, called Healthy Men Michigan (HMM), to evaluate Man Therapy's effectiveness in reducing suicidal ideation and depression among working-aged men.
The results of this study, published in December, show that men who were offered Man Therapy as one of the digital tools to assess and address their mental health reported a significant decrease in depression and suicidal ideation over time, as well as a reduction in poor mental health days.
Additionally, a follow-on study using the HMM data shows that men in the Man Therapy intervention group reported statistically significant improved rates of engaging in formal help-seeking behaviors through tools like online treatment locator systems, making or attending a mental health treatment appointment, or attending a professionally led support group compared with those who only received screening and referrals.
Man Therapy's innovative approach has seen over 1.5 million web sessions, 3.7 million resources viewed, 400,000 completed head inspections, and 40,000 men connecting directly to a crisis line resource. Facebook's safety team used it to reach high-risk men, resulting in one of its most successful media campaigns ever.
Man Therapy currently offers free, 24/7 access to any person who is looking for information and resources related to men's mental health and well-being. Man Therapy is also available for licensing with state and local governments, as well as individual and brand partnerships.
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