New Survey Reveals What Ails Young Men

Young men between the ages of 16 and 28 spend more time online than any previous generation, and they also report fewer interpersonal relationships and poorer mental health, according to a new survey by Cygnal.

The polling and analytics firm surveyed 1,000 young American men in October and released the results Monday to coincide with the inaugural Symposium on Young American Men, organized by the Lafayette Company, a D.C.-based political communications firm. Seventy-seven percent of respondents age 16 to 28 said they spend at least five hours a day online—streaming, gaming, browsing and using social media—while 48 percent said they socialize in person between zero and five hours per week. Nearly half said they have two or fewer friends, with 11 percent reporting no friends at all.

The largest share of respondents (27 percent) identified financial stability as their top priority, followed by mental health (17 percent). Not surprisingly, 23 percent named financial stress as the biggest challenge they face, while 21 percent cited mental health struggles. Indeed, 57 percent of the Gen Z males surveyed described their mental health as “fair,” “poor” or “very poor.”

While 53 percent of young men said they have a role model—mainly their father (39 percent), a friend or peer (22 percent), or their mother (21 percent)—40 percent do not turn to anyone for guidance. Young men most likely to have a male role model include those affiliated with a college or university fraternity (71 percent), religious men (66 percent), Republicans (64 percent), and those with positive mental health (63 percent).

More than a fifth (21 percent) of respondents have been a member of a college or university fraternity, and they reported better employment, higher education levels, more regular exercise, less time online, more religious faith and better mental health.

A majority (55 percent) agreed that being part of a men-only organization helps young men grow personally; 14 percent disagreed, and a quarter remained neutral on the question.

Ellen Carmichael, founder and president of the Lafayette Company, noted that the results show the importance of consulting groups and leaders that work closely with men to address some of the issues plaguing them.

“Experts can be found in men’s lifetime brotherhood or service organizations, collegiate fraternities, religious institutions and athletic clubs,” she said in a press release. “Here, in the midst of intense internal and external pressures, Gen Z males still find true meaning and belonging. United by shared goals and values, these young men benefit from reliable social systems made of individuals who know who they are and who care about what happens to them.”