Boys Do Cry: what do Australian men think of a music video encouraging them to talk about their mental health struggles?

Suicides by men account for three-quarters of all Australian suicides. This increased risk may relate to the traditional masculine norm of 'self-reliance', which can hinder men from seeking help when experiencing mental health difficulties. We created and tested the effects of a four-minute, purpose-designed music video, 'Boys Do Cry', to encourage Australian men to show emotion and reach out to others when facing mental health difficulties. A total of 221 men (aged 18+) watched the Boys Do Cry video and completed two surveys about their opinions of the video and its impact. Data were collected as part of a broader randomised controlled trial. We conducted descriptive analyses of numerical data and performed a content analysis of text responses. Most participants enjoyed watching the video. The core messaging, encouraging men to express their emotions and seek help when struggling, was seen as valuable and needed. The most prominent theme in our qualitative findings highlighted the importance of seeing the diversity of men in the video in terms of characteristics like age, culture, and appearance. Participants saw this diversity as representative of the society they live in. This study demonstrates the acceptability of using a music video to promote help-seeking for mental health difficulties among men. It also highlights the importance of creating persuasive narratives to which specific audiences can relate, in order to foster meaningful behaviour change.