Virtual Grand Rounds: Supporting Boys’ Healthy Development

This lecture considers boys’ development through a relational framework, which calls into question the traditional goals of individuation and separation in the name of growth, maturity, and (for boys) manhood; examines the implications of boys’ gender socialization (e.g., towards conventions of masculinity that emphasize physical toughness, emotional stoicism, and projected self-sufficiency) in light of infant studies that highlight boys’ fundamental capacity and primary desire for close, meaningful relationships with other people; and acknowledges that boys’ relational capabilities are not “feminine” weaknesses but human strengths that are essential to their health and happiness, and serve them well in various social contexts throughout their lifespan.