A Metasynthesis Exploring the Role of Masculinities in Close Male Friendships

Research suggests that certain masculine norms such as toughness, emotional stoicism, and homophobia can make it challenging for boys and men to form close friendships. This is concerning given that boys and men who do not successfully develop close relationships may experience outcomes such as reduced self-esteem and impaired psychological health. The purpose of the current metasynthesis was to synthesize studies that focus on the role of masculine norms in close male friendships. The present study focused on a corpus of 28 articles comprising a total of 2,034 participants from Western countries. Thematic analysis yielded two overarching themes that illustrate the different ways in which boys and men negotiate masculine norms within their friendships: (a) enacting traditional norms and (b) compartmentalizing to resist masculine norms. Implications include the development of novel interventions that can be used to motivate young boys and men to critically analyze problematic aspects of masculinities and thus forge stronger friendships.