Abstract
Men's friendships have traditionally been described as being activity-based but little research has examined older men's friendships. The current study aimed to explore meanings of friendship with older men who belonged to formal men's groups or not. A thematic analysis of focus group data identified three manifest themes (constructing friendship: friends, mates or acquaintances; the dynamic nature of friendship; and the importance or beneficence of friendship) and one latent theme (community of men). Friendship was constructed as a multifaceted concept contingent on context. The importance of maintaining friendships were discussed as either self-driven or the responsibility of the other. Talking to like-minded men, regardless of group membership, was valued not just for doing activities but for the emotional support it provided.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 34-52 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | The Journal of Men's Studies |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Mar 2014 |