Examining Masculine Norms and Peer Support Within a Sample of Incarcerated African-American Males

The adherence to masculine norms has been suggested to be influenced by social settings and context. Prisons have been described as a context where survival is dependent on adhering to strict masculine norms that may undermine reintegration back into the larger society. This study attempted to examine the relationship between masculine norms, peer support, and an individual's length of incarceration on a sample of 139 African-American men taking part in a prerelease community reentry program. Results indicate that peer support was associated with length of incarceration, and the interaction between the endorsement of masculine norms and peer support significantly predicted the length of incarceration for African-American men in this sample. Implications for incarcerated African-American men and future research directions are discussed.