Help-seeking for mental health concerns: The role of partner influence.

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 181-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma C. Muscari ◽  
CJ Eubanks Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Partner Influence ◽  
Mental Health Concerns

scholarly journals Technology-Based Interventions to Improve Help-Seeking for Mental Health Concerns: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 025371762110345
Author(s):  
Jemimah A. Johnson ◽  
Prachi Sanghvi ◽  
Seema Mehrotra
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Concerns

Background: Despite the high prevalence of mental health disorders worldwide, a significant proportion of distressed individuals do not seek professional help. Digital technology can be a potential bridge to reduce the treatment gap for mental disorders. A systematic review was undertaken to examine the technology-based interventions aimed at improving help-seeking attitude, intention, or behavior for mental health concerns. Methods: The literature search was conducted in January–February 2020 through various e-databases using relevant keywords that targeted help-seeking interventions for mental health disorders via different technology modes. Results: 21 studies (15 randomized controlled trials and six non-randomized studies) were reviewed. The included studies were published between April 2006 to February 2020. Majority of the interventions led to an increase in the help-seeking variables. The crucial role of online delivery, participant involvement, and embedded links to professional services in encouraging help-seeking is highlighted. The review emphasizes the need for understanding utility of multicomponent interventions with personalized elements targeting help-seeking behavior, particularly in low-middle-income countries, and studies involving longer duration follow-ups. Conclusion: This systematic review is the first of its kind to examine technology-based interventions to improve help-seeking for mental health and suggests that such interventions play a crucial role in positively impacting help-seeking. The complex interplay between the relevant variables such as mental health literacy, stigma, help-seeking attitude, intention and behavior, and the intervention components that may have a differential bearing on these variables are issues that merit urgent attention in further research.

scholarly journals Prevalence of common mental health concerns and service utilization among international students studying in the U.S.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Zhou ◽  
Anne Q. Zhou ◽  
Xiaoning Sun
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
International Students ◽  
Service Utilization ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Stigma ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Student Sample ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Mental Health Concerns

An estimated one million international students are enrolled in U.S. universities. However, little was known about the landscape of their mental health and help-seeking behaviors. Drawing from a large national university student sample (N = 228,421, 8.49% non-U.S. citizen) from the Healthy Minds Study, data indicated the rates of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, eating disorder, non-suicidal self-injury, and suicidal ideation were 27.4%, 20.0%, 26.4%, 17.2%, and 8.8% respectively among international students, with high inter-country variabilities. Contrary to our expectations, there is no strong and consistent evidence suggesting international students were at higher risk for common mental health concerns compared to domestic students. However, among students who were screened positive for these mental health disorders (n = 96,567), there was a significant difference between service utilization rates for international students and domestic students (32.0% vs. 49.8%), even after controlling for gender, age, socioeconomic status, perceived need for help, mental health stigma, and using informal support. Our results highlight the urgency for addressing mental health concerns and equitable mental health care among international students.

Mental Health Concerns of Canadian Adolescents: A Consumer's Perspective

1996 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stan Kutcher ◽  
Bridgette Ward ◽  
Denise Hayes ◽  
Kathy Wheeler ◽  
Fran Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
School Students ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Adolescent Students ◽  
Important Concern ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
Mental Health Programs

Objective: To evaluate the mental health of adolescent students in Metropolitan Toronto. Method: A survey was developed by adolescents for adolescents to evaluate adolescent mental health. The survey was completed by 486 secondary school students in Metropolitan Toronto. Results: The findings of this consumer-directed survey show that the majority of teenagers are not overwhelmed by stress and generally exhibit healthy coping behaviours. Violence is identified as an important concern and help-seeking behaviour for mental health issues, when it occurs, is directed primarily towards the family and teachers rather than physicians. Conclusion: A number of important issues regarding mental illness, including its identification and treatment, were not considered by teens to be part of their mental health concerns. The implications of these findings for the development of community-based mental health programs for adolescents are discussed.

scholarly journals Reluctancy towards Help-Seeking for Mental Health Concerns at Secondary School among Students in the COMPASS Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 7128
Author(s):  
Natalie Doan ◽  
Karen A. Patte ◽  
Mark A. Ferro ◽  
Scott T. Leatherdale
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
School Mental Health ◽  
School Characteristics ◽  
School Students ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
Household Incomes

Youth populations represent a key population for addressing mental health, yet many youths express reluctance towards help seeking. Considering the volume of time that almost all youth spend at school during the school year, it is important to assess the role of the school environment in relation to students’ attitudes toward help-seeking. Data from 47,290 grade 9 to 12 students and 116 Canadian secondary schools that participated in the 2018-19 wave of the COMPASS (Cannabis, Obesity, Mental health, Physical activity, Alcohol, Smoking, Sedentary behaviour) study were analyzed using GEE models to assess the student and school characteristics associated with attitudes regarding seeking help for mental health concerns from an adult at school. Overall, 58% of students reported being reluctant to seek help for mental health concerns at school. Students who reported lower self-rated mental health (aOR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.65, 1.87), emotion regulation (aOR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.07, 1.09), family support (aOR = 2.31, 95% CI = 2.16, 2.47), peer support (aOR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.31), and school connectedness (aOR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.92, 0.93) scores were more likely to be reluctant towards help-seeking at school than students with more favourable scores on these variables. Students with higher flourishing scores were less likely than students who were languishing to report reluctance to help-seeking at school (aOR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.96, 0.97). Students attending schools in areas with lower population densities and median household incomes between $50,000–75,000 were less likely to be reluctant to help-seeking relative to students attending schools in areas with higher density (aOR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.79, 0.93) and median household incomes (aOR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.31), respectively. The availability of school mental health services and specialists were not associated with student help-seeking reluctance. High levels of resistance towards help-seeking among youth remain a significant barrier, particularly among youth at highest risk (i.e., with lower support and poorer mental health). The student and school characteristics identified in the current study can help inform strategies to promote greater acceptance of help seeking among students in schools.

scholarly journals The role of loneliness as a mediator between autism features and mental health among autistic young adults

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136236132096778
Author(s):  
Hillary K Schiltz ◽  
Alana J McVey ◽  
Bridget Dolan Wozniak ◽  
Angela D Haendel ◽  
Rachel Stanley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
Mental Health Concerns ◽  
Social Loneliness

Autistic adults commonly experience anxiety and depression. These mental health concerns are often tied to social experiences, such that mental well-being can be supported by social connection and deteriorated by loneliness. The mediating role of social and emotional loneliness (i.e. social isolation and lack of emotional attachment, respectively) between autism features and mental health has yet to be empirically tested among autistic adults. Here, 69 autistic young adults completed self-report questionnaires assessing social contact (Friendship Questionnaire), autism features (Autism Quotient), mental health (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Social Phobia Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory), and loneliness (Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults). Positive associations emerged between autism features, social loneliness, family loneliness, social anxiety, and depression. In addition, more social contact was related to less social and family loneliness and less social anxiety but was not related to depression. Mediation analyses indicated significant indirect effects of social contact and autism features on mental health through social loneliness. Indirect effects partially held substituting family loneliness for social loneliness and did not hold using romantic loneliness. In light of these results, the scientific and clinical implications of the role of loneliness for autistic young adults are discussed and recommendations provided. Lay abstract Autistic adults commonly experience mental health concerns including social anxiety and depression, which can have negative effects on their quality of life. It is not completely clear, however, why rates of mental health concerns are so high. Some evidence suggests that social connectedness might play a key role. The goal of this study was to explore links between loneliness, mental health concerns, autism features, and social contact among autistic adults and test whether the links between mental health with autism features and social contact can be explained by loneliness. Researchers in this study collected data using questionnaires completed by 69 autistic young adults. Autistic adults who reported more autism features also reported more social and family loneliness, higher levels of social anxiety and depression, and fewer initiated social contacts. In addition, adults with more social contact initiations were likely to report lower levels of social and family loneliness and social anxiety but not depression. Results showed that the link from social engagement and autism features to social anxiety and depression symptoms could be mostly explained by loneliness. The results of this study expand previous findings by illustrating one factor (loneliness) that might be responsible for the high rates of mental health concerns among adults on the autism spectrum. These findings highlight the importance of studying factors related to mental health concerns among autistic adults and ways to best support social connectedness for the mental well-being of autistic young adults.

scholarly journals Help-Seeking Behaviors of Transition-Aged Youth for Mental Health Concerns: Qualitative Study

10.2196/18514 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. e18514
Author(s):  
Chelsea Stunden ◽  
Julie Zasada ◽  
Nicole VanHeerwaarden ◽  
Elisa Hollenberg ◽  
Alexxa Abi-Jaoudé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Sources Of Support ◽  
Mental Health Concerns

Background Transition-aged youth are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems, yet they are one of the least likely demographic groups to seek help. Objective The aim of this study is to explore the influences on and patterns in help-seeking for mental health concerns among transition-aged youth who attend postsecondary schools in Canada. Methods A qualitative research design was used, involving 12 semistructured focus groups with transition-aged youth (17-29 years) who attended postsecondary schools in Canada. A thematic analysis was conducted to code the transcripts and develop themes. Results Four main themes and subthemes regarding the process and experience of help-seeking were generated: (1) the influence of formal service providers (accessibility and experiences), (2) the influence of social factors (system navigation and stigma), (3) the influence of health literacy (symptom recognition, acting on symptoms, digital tools and the internet, and mental health awareness campaigns), and (4) the influence of low-intensity sources of support, namely, self-help. Conclusions Transition-aged youth seek help for mental health problems in different ways. Despite efforts to improve access to mental health services, transition-aged youth continue to face barriers to accessing these services, especially formal sources of support. The factors identified in this study that either hinder or facilitate help-seeking have pragmatic implications for developing help-seeking interventions and delivering mental health services for this population. In addition to other facilitators, family physicians are an important resource in the help-seeking process. Furthermore, digital help-seeking tools have unique characteristics that may make them an important source of support for transition-aged youth.

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