Overview
- The Men's Project surveyed 1,401 adolescents aged 14–18 nationwide, mapping attitudes to the Adolescent Man Box rules against wellbeing and behavior.
- Boys who most strongly endorsed the rules reported worse mental health and social disconnection, with 85% citing recent symptoms and 47% finding online life more rewarding than offline.
- This group showed higher likelihoods of physical fights, sexual harassment, risky substance use, and viewing violent or non-consensual pornography.
- Most adolescents rejected strict notions of manliness, with high optimism about the future and greater reported influence from parents and friends than from media or influencers.
- Executive director Matt Tyler launched the report with expert Kate Fitz‑Gibbon, using the platform to call for government commitments to targeted services and youth‑violence prevention.