Romantic relationship challenges and young men’s mental health in Canadian-based undergraduate university students

Objective Young adulthood is a unique period when most men’s romantic relationships are in nascent stages. The current study aimed to explore the impact of romantic relationship challenges on young men’s mental health in a national sample of undergraduate Canadian-based university students.Participants A reference group from the 2022 National College Health Assessment was analyzed (N = 2,036), comprising young men (18–24 years) who were enrolled in full-time undergraduate studies in Canada.Methods Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to examine differences in psychological distress, loneliness, suicide risk, and positive mental health based on relationship distress.Result Overall, 816 respondents (40.1%) reported experiencing a romantic relationship challenge in the last 12 months. Young men who experienced a distressed relationship reported higher levels of psychological distress (partial η2 = .043), loneliness (partial η2 = .050), and suicidal behavior (partial η2 = .034), and lower levels of positive mental health (partial η2 = .011).Conclusions The findings reflect significant mental health concerns for young men who experience relationship challenges, underscoring the need to provide tailored services to young men in navigating their romantic relationships, including a relationship breakdown.