A Proven Mental Health Tool

CDC-FUNDED RESEARCH SHOWS MAN THERAPY REDUCES SUICIDAL IDEATION & DEPRESSION IN WORKING-AGED MEN

Research published in Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, the official journal of the American Association of Suicidology, highlights a $1.2 million, CDC-funded randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate Man Therapy's effectiveness in reducing suicidal ideation and depression among working-aged men. This RCT proves that men who receive Man Therapy as a digital intervention not only see decreases in suicidal ideation, depression, and poor mental health days, they also experience significantly improved rates in help-seeking behavior related to their mental health.

OBJECTIVE & METHOD

Objective:

Evaluate the efficacy of Man Therapy as a digital intervention to reduce suicidal ideation and depression while improving help-seeking behavior among high-risk, working-aged men. Hypotheses included men who used Man Therapy would report decreased suicidal ideation and depression over time compared to Control Condition men.

Method:

554 eligible men throughout Michigan enrolled and 421 completed all surveys. In the controlled condition, men only explored the Healthy Men Michigan website. In the intervention condition, men explored Healthy Men Michigan and ManTherapy.org.

PUBLISHED RESULTS

Evidence Based Man Therapy

Overall, the results of the RCT were overwhelmingly positive for this approach to public health. Men in both groups saw improvements in the mental health areas measured:
• 80% of men improved on depression and reduced poor mental health days throughout the RCT.
• 36% of men moved from "high" to "moderate or low" for depression and suicide risk.

This research shows that this community-based, digital approach to mental health is effective in successfully reaching men, getting them to engage in mental health assessments and seek help. Additionally online screening tools, referrals, and ManTherapy.org are efficacious in reducing depression and suicidal ideation over time.

MAN THERAPY FINDINGS

The RCT results show that Man Therapy, compared to the HMM group, significantly improved rates of engaging in formal help-seeking behavior, including the use of online treatment locator systems, making or attending a mental health treatment appointment, or attending a professionally-led support group.

Additionally, Man Therapy not only reduced depression and suicidal ideation scores, it uniquely reduced:
• Overall days of poor mental health.
• Improved perceived problem solving for social support and reaching out to others.
• Treatment motivation.