Perceptions of South Florida Hispanic and Anglo Catholics: From Whom Would They Seek Help?

Abstract

Hispanic and Anglo Catholics in South Florida who attended Sunday services (N = 473) were surveyed to determine their help-seeking preferences for moral concerns, mental disorders, and practical life/family problems. Respondents were asked to indicate whether they would seek help from a priest; a priest with a degree and license in one of the helping professions (clinical social work, psychology, psychiatry, or mental health counseling); a layperson with a degree and license in one of the helping professions (clinical social work, psychology, psychiatry, or mental health counseling); or if they believed they could deal with the situation without external assistance. The findings suggest that Anglo Catholics prefer assistance from a person who was credentialed in one of the helping professions, whereas Hispanic Catholics would seek help from a priest with or without a background in the helping professions.