London men rank among lowest in UK for positive mental attitude, groundbreaking masculinity report finds

London ranked eighth on a list of 12 regions for mental attitude.
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Francesca Gillett31 October 2017

Men in London have some of the poorest mental attitudes in the whole of the UK, a groundbreaking new study has found.

The capital ranked a lowly eighth on a list of 12 UK regions rated by positive mental attitude among men – with single and young men in London among the worst off.

According to the survey - believed to be the most ambitious audit of British masculinity on record - the happiest place to be a man was in the south west of England, which scored the highest on the Positive Mental Index.

Interestingly, London men consider family less important than those in the rest of the UK – but value personal growth and health more highly than men anywhere else.

In general London’s male millennials recorded the lowest job satisfaction and also the greatest anxiety about being single.

The statistics come from The Harry’s Masculinity Report, a major University College London study led by male issues campaigner Martin Daubney and psychologist John Barry.

Dubbed an “emotional census for men”, the masculinity report is the largest-ever ethically approved academic study of its kind, with more than 2,000 men asked about their core values.

London is not the road to happiness for men. 
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According to its authors, the survey shattered commonly-held and negative beliefs around British masculinity and proved men are embracing a “new, positive masculinity… adding progressive values to aid their mental health and well-being".

For the first time ever, the survey discovered British men value their mental health more than their physical health and welcome openness when talking about their emotions.

The study also put to bed the myth that British men are commitment-phobes, with single men reporting the least positive mindset of all while married men were the happiest.

Dr John Barry, from UCL’s psychologist department, led the research and said: “There has been a very welcome increase in focus recently on male-specific issues such as the appallingly high male suicide rate and the underachievement of boys and young men in education.

“The findings of this survey provide important insights into what men need to live their lives in a positive way and how they should be represented.

“The findings should be of enormous interest to policy-makers as they seek improved strategies to address these pressing social problems.”

The Harry’s Masculinity Report will be formally launched at an event at the Houses of Parliament on November 16, attended by MPs, mental health campaigners and celebrities.

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