Understanding College Student’s Mental Health Seeking Behaviors

Student Classification

Junior

Faculty Mentor

Anna K. Lee, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Psychology

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Spring 2019

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Mental health stigma deals with the belief of negative stereotypes of individuals who have a psychological disorder. Mental health stigma discourages and prevents college students from seeking out help in fear of the possibility that they will be judged, isolated, or misunderstood. Students who internalize mental health stigma will be likely to identify with one or more mental health seeking barriers: self-concealment, perceived public or personal stigma, negative attitudes towards seeking professional help or perceived family and community stigma than those who do not internalize mental health stigma. METHOD: This study uses quantitative methods that will be conducted through a survey that will measure attitudes towards mental health. The self-concealment scale (SCS) will be used to measure attitudes about self-concealing. The Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS) will be used to measure attitudes about seeking help for mental health concerns. The Attitudes towards Mental Health Problems Scales (ATMHP) will be used to measure external shame/stigma awareness perceived by family and community members, and the Stigmatizing of Attitude Believability Scale will be used to measure mental health stigma. RESULTS: We hope to find significant correlations between negative attitudes towards mental health and lower help-seeking attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: Findings will be discussed.

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