ObjectivesTo test whether social ties play any roles in mitigating depression and anxiety, as well as in fostering mental health among young men living in a poor urban community.SettingA cohort of all young men living in an urban slum in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.ParticipantsAll men aged 18–29 years (n=824) living in a low-income urban community at the time of the survey.Primary and secondary outcome measuresUnspecified psychological morbidity measured using the General Health Questionnaire, 12-item (GHQ-12), where lower scores suggest better mental status.ResultsThe GHQ scores (mean=9.2, SD=4.9) suggest a significant psychological morbidity among the respondents. However, each additional friend is associated with a 0.063 SD lower GHQ score (95% CI −0.106 to −0.021). Between centrality measuring the relative importance of the respondent within his social network is also associated with a 0.103 SD lower GHQ score (95% CI −0.155 to −0.051), as are other measures of social network ties. Among other factors, married respondents and recent migrants also report a better mental health status.ConclusionsOur results underscore the importance of social connection in providing a buffer against stress and anxiety through psychosocial support from one’s peers in a resource-constraint urban setting. Our findings also suggest incorporating a social network and community ties in designing mental health policies and interventions.

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Sociodrama and psychodrama have shown promising behavioral and attitudinal changes among men who adhere to toxic masculine attitudes and behavior. However, it is unknown whether such an approach could potentially curb the rising gender-based violence in Bangladesh. This paper presents the findings of in-depth interviews with 12 out of the 40 men in an urban slum in Dhaka who received culturally contextualized sociodrama and psychodrama interventions and 20 close female family members. Following the intervention, the narratives revealed positive behavioral and attitudinal changes in men, including developing empathy, respect towards family members and co-workers, temper management, participation in household chores, a favorable attitude towards condom use, and reduced sexual harassment and drug abuse. The findings can be used in future research and interventions to address and reduce gender-based violence against women by men.