Help-seeking helps: help-seeking and group image

Seeking help from an outgroup can be difficult, especially when the outgroup is known to stereotype the ingroup negatively and the potential recipient cares strongly about its social image. However, we ask if even highly-identified ingroup members may seek help from a judgemental outgroup if doing so allows them to disconfirm the outgroup’s negative stereotype of the ingroup. We presented participants with one of two negative outgroup stereotypes of their ingroup. One could be disconfirmed through seeking help, the other could not. Study 1 (N = 43) showed group members were aware of the strategic implications of seeking help for disconfirming these stereotypes. Study 2 (N = 43) showed high identifiers acted on such strategic knowledge by seeking more help from the outgroup when help-seeking could disconfirm a negative stereotype of their group (than when it could not). Implications for the seeking and acceptance of help are discussed

Stretching the limits in help-seeking research

This special section focuses on help seeking in a wide range of learning environments, from classrooms to online forums. Previous research has rather restrictively focused on the identification of personal characteristics that predict whether or not learners seek help under certain conditions. However, help-seeking research has begun to broaden these self-imposed limitations. The papers in this special section represent good examples of this development. Indeed, help seeking in the presented papers is explored through complementary theoretical lenses (e.g., linguistic, instructional), using a wide scope of methodologies (e.g., teacher reports, log files), and in a manner which embraces the support of innovative technologies (e.g., cognitive tutors, web-based environments)

Help seeking in the New Zealand Defence Force using the Theory of Planned Behaviour : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Mental health is of utmost importance in military settings due to the demanding and often dangerous nature of the work involved. However, military personnel are disproportionately deterred from seeking mental health help when the need arises. Perceived stigma and structural barriers to help seeking have been widely researched in military settings, however, results are often mixed. The current study examined the traditional stigma and structural barriers help seeking model alongside an alternative model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour to explain help seeking behaviour. A cross-sectional study design surveying 2633 enlisted New Zealand Defence Force Personnel was carried out. Within the two models, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, stigma, and structural barriers were assessed as predictors of intentions to seek professional help for mental health problems. The Theory of Planned Behaviour model accounted for 26% of total variance in help seeking intentions, while the traditional model only accounted for 7%. Additionally, the Theory of Planned Behaviour model showed potential for its capacity to include stigma and structural barriers as antecedents to its core predictors, with stigma being partially mediated by attitudes, and structural barriers being fully mediated by perceived behavioural control. Additional group level measures were also considered in relation to help seeking intentions which highlighted at risk groups. A common theme arose across these groups of less chances for both formal and informal learning opportunities about mental health help seeking in the defence force. Using these group level differences, recommendations for how the Theory of Planned Behaviour can be utilized to increase mental health learning experiences for the New Zealand Defence Force personnel are made. Specifically, the potential efficacy of incorporating the sharing of highly ranked personnel’s positive experiences of help seeking early on in new recruits training

Student help seeking from pastoral care in UK high schools: a qualitative study

Background Little is known about high school students' perceptions of school-based pastoral support. This study aimed to explore this in the context of a high school–based emotional support project. Methods Qualitative interviews explored perspectives on help seeking of students (N = 23) and staff (N = 27) in three UK high schools where a pastoral project was introduced. Data were analysed thematically. Results Student peer groups perceived help seeking as a sign of weakness. However, students valued learning skills in managing emotions and friendships. Staff expressed concerns about students' ability to help seek proactively, and highlighted organisational influences on pastoral support. Conclusions Increasing student control over the process, and involving trusted staff, could encourage help seeking in high school. It is possible to access the views of students who do not help seek, to improve understanding of help-seeking behaviour

Depression and the medicalization of sadness: conceptualization and recommended help-seeking

Critiques of the validity of the DSM diagnostic criteria for depressive disorder argue that it fails to differentiate between abnormal sadness due to internal dysfunction or depression (sadness without an identifiable cause), and normal sadness (sadness with a clear cause)

Help-seeking behaviours, opportunistic treatment and psychological implications of adolescent acne: cross-sectional studies in schools and hospital outpatient departments in the UK

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris (acne) is a common adolescent skin condition. It is associated with negative psychological impacts and sufferers do not easily seek help, hence is undertreated. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the self-reported prevalence, severity and psychological sequelae of acne, together with assessing help-seeking behaviour and its barriers, in separate school and hospital samples. We explored opportunistic treatment by paediatricians. METHODS: Self-reported survey with participants drawn from: (1) 120 adolescents aged 13–18 in a London tertiary paediatric outpatient department and (2) 482 adolescents from two London schools, aged 11–18. Adolescents confidentially and anonymously completed a questionnaire (paper or online) and those with acne completed the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI) questionnaire. OUTCOME MEASURES: To explore if acne is being addressed opportunistically in outpatient appointments and the behaviours associated with seeking help and psychological implications of acne. RESULTS: Acne prevalence was reported as 58.3% in the clinic and 42.3% in schools, with 34.3% and 20.6% of participants having moderate acne (MA) or severe acne (SA), respectively. The correlation between acne severity and CADI was significant (regression coefficient=4.86, p<0.005 (MA) and 9.08, p<0.005 (SA) in the hospital; 1.92, p<0.001 (MA) and 7.41, p<0.005 (SA) in schools). Severity of acne was associated with increased likelihood of seeing a doctor in both samples (OR=8.95, 2.79–28.70 (MA) in the clinic and 1.31, 1.30–2.90 (MA) and 3.89, 0.66–22.98 (SA) in the community). Barriers to help seeking included embarrassment and believing doctors were unapproachable. Doctors addressed acne opportunistically in 2.9% of the sample, although 16.7% of those with MA and SA wished their doctor had raised it. CONCLUSION: Acne is common and has negative psychological implications, correlating with severity. Young people often forego seeking help and hospital clinicians rarely address acne opportunistically. Further work is needed to investigate how to reduce barriers to help seeking for acne

“Why Didn’t You Just Ask?” Underestimating the Discomfort of Help-Seeking

Across four studies we demonstrate that people in a position to provide help tend to underestimate the role that embarrassment plays in decisions about whether or not to ask for help. As a result, potential helpers may overestimate the likelihood that people will ask for help (Studies 1 and 2). Further, helpers may be less inclined to allocate resources to underutilized support programs than help-seekers because they are less likely to attribute low levels of use to help-seekers’ concerns with embarrassment (Study 3). Finally, helpers may misjudge the most effective means of encouraging help-seeking behavior - emphasizing the practical benefits of asking for help, rather than attempting to assuage help-seekers’ feelings of discomfort (Study 4)

Factors Contributing to College Men\u27s Help-seeking

This study sought to explore factors relating to college-men\u27s decision to pursue counseling at a college-based counseling center. In particular, the relationship between percentage of male-counselor\u27s to male college students utilization rates were examined. Analysis revealed no significant correlation between percentage of male-counselor\u27s to male student utilization. Limitations and areas of future research are discussed

Help-seeking in emerging adults with and without a history of mental health referral: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Young people are generally reluctant to seek professional help when experiencing problems. However, past experience of services is often cited as increasing the intention to seek help, therefore those with a history of mental health referral may adopt more adaptive help seeking strategies. The current study investigated whether the pattern of different help seeking strategies and barriers to help seeking differed as a function of previous referral history. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 emerging adults (12 males, 17 females); 17 with a history of mental health referral and 12 without and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Overall, those with a referral to services were more likely than those without to rely on avoidant coping, especially techniques that depended upon suppression. This could help account for the increased use of strategies involving self-harm and substances in those with past referral. An exploration of barriers to help seeking showed those with a history of mental health referral were much more likely to self-stigmatise and this became attached to their sense of identity. CONCLUSIONS: Emerging adults with a history of referral are more likely to adopt avoidant coping strategies when dealing with problems and self-stigmatise to a greater degree than those without a history of referral. This suggests that current approaches to mental health in emerging adults are not decreasing the sense of stigma with potentially far-reaching consequences for the developing sense of self and choice of help seeking strategies