Self-Stigma Of Seeking Help Scale Research Articles

Breaking Barriers: Unraveling the Connection between Mental Health Literacy, Attitudes towards Mental Illness, and Self-Stigma of Psychological Help-Seeking in University Students

Despite the high prevalence of mental health difficulties during the period of emerging adulthood and the availability of mental health resources, young adults are reluctant to seek professional psychological help. A significant contributor to this treatment gap is the inadequate levels of mental health literacy (MHL). The present study aimed to investigate the association between MHL with attitudes toward mental illness and the self-stigma of seeking psychological treatment among university students. The sample consisted of 485 university students (24.5% males, 75.5% females) with a mean age of 19.54 years (SD = 1.45) drawn from a regional university in Greece. MHL, attitudes towards severe mental illness, and self-stigma of help-seeking were assessed using the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS), the Attitudes towards Severe Mental Illness (ASMI), and the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH), respectively. MHLS was positively correlated with three out of four subscales of ASMI, namely stereotyping, optimism, and coping, and negatively related to SSOSH. Multivariate linear regression analysis adjusting for various confounders showed that students with higher MHL were more likely to report non-stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness and lower self-stigma of help-seeking from mental health professionals. According to our findings, higher MHL was related to more positive views regarding mental illness and lower self-stigma of help-seeking. To lessen the self-stigma of seeking professional help, MHL must be addressed as an important component of psychoeducational interventions at universities aiming to support students’ help-seeking intentions and practices.

Mental health stigma and internship nursing students’ attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundSelf-stigma and negative attitudes toward mental illness have been identified as significant barriers that hinder individuals from seeking psychological assistance, leading to adverse consequences in their lives.AimThis study aimed to assess mental health stigma and internship nursing students’ attitudes toward seeking professional help.MethodsA cross-sectional design was conducted in the current study including a purposive sample of 228 participants of internship nursing students using a Socio-demographic data sheet, Self-Stigma of Seeking Help scale (SSOSH), and Attitude toward seeking professional psychological help scale (ATSPPH). The data acquisition period spanned from August to November 2022.ResultsThis study revealed significant insights into the attitudes of internship nursing students toward seeking professional psychological help. Gender emerged as a notable factor, with males exhibiting higher levels of self-stigma compared to females (mean = 2.872). Attitudes towards seeking professional help varied significantly based on age, gender, residence, and marital status. Specifically, participants aged 23 years, females, rural residents, and married individuals demonstrated the highest Mean scores reflecting attitudes that lean more positively towards seeking help. Furthermore, a significant negative correlation (r = -0.372, p < 0.01) was observed between self-stigma and attitudes toward seeking professional help.ConclusionThis study concluded that more than three-fifths of internship nursing students hadn’t stigma towards seeking professional psychological help while the vast majority had a positive attitude towards seeking professional psychological help. However, the majority of students reported that financial barriers, specifically the high cost of therapy, prevent them from seeking psychological help. This highlights the need for more affordable mental health services for this population.

The Mediating Role of Self-Stigma in Perceived Public Stigma and Attitudes Toward Mental Health Help-Seeking Among Adults in Malaysia

Mental health stigma is one of the major barriers to mental health help-seeking and care. Public stigma gives rise to self-stigma (SS), and both stigma results in negative attitudes toward mental health help-seeking (ATMHHS). Subsequently, ATMHHS is further associated with future help-seeking behaviour. This research aims to study the mediating effect of SS on the relationship between perceived public stigma (PPS) and ATMHHS among Malaysian adults. The significance is to encourage mental health awareness related to mental health stigma as well as to contribute to literature on mental health stigma. This study was a cross-sectional, correlational, and quantitative study, in which data was collected using online survey. 136 participants were selected as a sample of Malaysian adults aged 18-64 years old. Data was collected using Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, Stigma Scale for Receiving Psychological Help, and Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale: Short Form. The results from Hayes PROCESS macro showed that SS was a significant predictor for ATMHHS, while PPS was not a significant predictor of ATMHHS, and SS fully mediated the relationship between PPS and ATMHHS. This study has shown that PPS indirectly brings negative impact on ATMHHS, while SS predicts negative ATMHHS, hence it is recommended that more research be conducted on mental health stigma related areas in order to raise awareness in Malaysian society.

An Exploratory Study on Student-Athlete Mental Health: Personal and Perceived Barriers to Help-Seeking Behavior

Student-athletes are more likely to develop mental health problems than the general population. In addition to schoolwork, social networks, family ties, and financial obligations, collegiate student-athletes are required to attend practices, travel for games, attend athletic events, and perform extracurricular duties. The addition of possible injury, overtraining, burnout, scrutiny from the public and/or the media, and consistent pressure to perform results in athletes playing through both physical injuries and mental health problems. Despite the high number of athletes who report needing mental health support, fewer than half seek out mental health services. Research has identified stigma as one of the largest barriers to mental health help-seeking behavior (HSB). Help-seeking behavior has rarely been studied in relation to the larger body of work on mental health stigma in sport. The purpose of this study was to observe and describe student-athletes’ perceived stigma (e.g., what others think) and personal stigma (e.g., what the individual thinks) in relation to HSB. A sample of n = 20 athletes completed an online Qualtrics Survey, which included Link’s Perceived Discrimination and Devaluation Scale, Mental Health Literacy Scale, Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, Help Seeking Questionnaire, and Student-Athlete Role Behaviors Questionnaire. Results from this study may help develop mental health interventions to improve student-athlete HSB. KEYWORDS: Mental Health; Student-Athlete; Stigma; Help-Seeking Behavior; NCAA; PDDS; MHLS; SSOSH; HSQ; SRBQ

Attitudes and intentions toward seeking professional psychological help among Chinese healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has been suggested that healthcare workers (HCWs) are experiencing massive stressors that threaten their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, but little is known about their attitudes and intentions toward seeking professional psychological help. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes and intentions of Chinese HCWs toward seeking professional psychological help during the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated factors. A total of 1,224 Chinese HCWs working in hospitals were recruited online from 12 hospitals in Hunan province in China for a survey conducted in November 2022. The Chinese version of the attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help scale-short form (ATSPPH-SF) and the general help-seeking questionnaire (GHSQ) were separately used to assess the attitudes and intentions of the respondents toward seeking professional psychological help. Demographic and socio-psychological data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire, the perceived social support scale, the self-stigma of seeking help scale, and the patient health questionnaire-9 scale. The 1,208 HCWs in the final analysis showed relatively negative attitudes and low intentions toward seeking professional psychological help during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that female sex (p = 0.031), experience of psychological learning (p < 0.001), and social support (p < 0.001) had a positive predictive effect on the attitudes of these HCWs toward seeking professional psychological help, whereas self-stigma of seeking help (p < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) exerted negative effects. Moreover, experience of psychological learning (p = 0.004) and social support (p < 0.001) had a positive predictive effect on the intentions of these HCWs toward seeking professional psychological help, whereas divorced marital status (p = 0.011) and self-stigma of seeking help (p < 0.001) exerted negative effects. The overall attitudes and intentions of HCWs toward seeking professional psychological help were not optimistic. Effective interventions targeted at influencing factors should be formulated to promote the professional psychological help-seeking attitudes and intentions of HCWs who are at risk of developing mental health problems.

Not Always a "Buffer": Self-Compassion as Moderator of the Link Between Masculinity Ideologies and Help-Seeking Intentions After Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence.

Many women and men experience intimate partner violence (IPV) during their lifetime. However, only relatively few people actually seek formal help after such an experience. The current study applied the mediated-moderation model of self-compassion and stigma that has previously been used to explain men's help-seeking behavior for depressive symptoms. The current study analyzed whether conformity to masculinity ideologies (CMI), self-stigma, and self-compassion were related to women's and men's intention to seek formal help after IPV experiences. A cross-sectional online questionnaire study was conducted with 491 German-speaking participants (65.8% women/34.2% men; age: M = 36.1 years; SD = 14.2). Participants read three vignettes about experienced IPV and then indicated how likely they would be to seek medical or psychological help if they were in the main character's situation. Additionally, the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory, Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, and Self-Compassion Scale were used. Separate manifest path models for women and men revealed that strong CMI was linked to strong self-stigma in women and men. In turn, strong self-stigma was linked to weak intentions to seek formal help after IPV experiences. In men, strong self-compassion weakened (i.e., "buffered") the link between CMI and self-stigma. However, direct associations between strong CMI and weak intentions to seek formal help remained, especially for those participants with strong self-compassion. The current study adds to the existing literature on associations between CMI, self-compassion, and self-stigma by showing that those links are also relevant in women. However, self-compassion might not always act as a "buffer" and mediators that explain links between strong CMI and weak intentions to seek formal help in people with strong self-compassion need to be found in future studies.

Why Don’t Young People Seek Help for Mental Illness? A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece

Young adults are less likely to seek professional help even though they are most likely to experience mental health problems. The aim of the present study was to investigate young adults’ attitudes towards mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking, identify possible determinants of attitudes and self-stigma, and examine the association between attitudes towards mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking. The sample consisted of 485 Greek young adults (24.5% men, 75.5% women) aged 18–25 years (M = 19.54, SD = 1.83) who completed the Attitudes towards Severe Mental Illness (ASMI) and the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH). The results indicated that Greek young adults hold mostly positive attitudes towards severe mental illness and help-seeking, while their unfavorable attitudes are mainly related to difficulties with viewing people with a severe mental disorder as similar to other people, and fear that by seeking professional help a person’s worth will be diminished. Gender, age, familiarity with mental health difficulties, education, and relationship status were found to be associated with young adults’ attitudes towards severe mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking. Finally, stereotyping, pessimistic beliefs, and negative beliefs about coping with mental illness were identified as key determinants of self-stigma of help-seeking. These findings suggest a need for age- and gender-sensitive psychoeducational interventions specifically designed to promote young adults’ mental health literacy and to ameliorate unfavorable attitudes towards mental illness in order to increase help-seeking behavior.

Medical Students' Perception of Psychotherapy and Predictors for Self-Utilization and Prospective Patient Referrals.

The study explored if willingness to seek psychotherapy or refer patients to therapy is predicted by either perception of its usefulness or stigma (public and self-stigma), and if there are any differences based on specific psychological disorders for this population. A cross-sectional study was conducted surveying medical students enrolled at a southeastern university during spring 2022. These medical students completed the Mental Help Seeking Attitudes Scale (MHSAS), revised Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH-7), Stigma Scale for Receiving Psychological Help (SSRPH), in addition to vignette-based items assessing the likelihood they would seek therapy treatment and refer a patient for therapy based on two specific psychological disorders. The survey was completed by 106 medical students out of 495 current students (21.4% response rate). The data reveal that the greater the public stigma endorsed, the less likely medical students would be willing to seek therapy for panic disorder; however, the greater the self-stigma, the less likely they would seek therapy for depression. This study found differences in willingness to utilize therapy based on stigma-related attitudes and specific disorders, but not for referring patients.

The Self-Stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH) Scale: Measurement Invariance Across Men from Different Backgrounds

The present study examined the measurement invariance and latent mean differences of three versions of the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help scale among demographic profiles of men. Results revealed strong invariance for the three scales across all demographic groups. Differences in strict invariance and latent mean differences were identified. Public significance: The Self Stigma of Seeking Help scale has widely been used to investigate barriers and pathways men experience when seeking professional psychological help. The present paper reports results that show that a range of groups of men (based on their race/ethnic group, sexuality, and age cohort) understand the scale in the same way, and thus the scale can be used to compare their scores.

PREDICTING THE INTENTION OF SEEKING PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP AMONG EMERGING ADULTS WITH DIVORCED PARENTS USING THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR

This study aims to examine the factors that influence the intention of emerging adults with divorced parents to seek psychological help using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) terminology. A total of 118 participants aged 18-25 years old took part in the study. Participants completed self-report questionnaires using the Mental Health Intention Scale, Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, Attitude Towards Seeking Professional Help Scale, and Stigma Scale for Receiving Psychological Help. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that the intention to seek psychological help was significantly associated with the TPB predictors. The attitude toward help-seeking was found to be the most influential predictor of an emerging adult's intention to find out psychological help. Based on the findings of this study, the interventions related to the psychological help-seeking intention should consider individual attitudes, norms, and beliefs.

Masculinity norms and help-seeking intentions after experiences of interpersonal violence

Abstract Background High levels of self-compassion might increase men’s willingness to seek formal help, including those men, who rigidly conform to masculinity norms (CMN). However, self-compassion has rarely been considered as an enabling factor for women’s help-seeking intentions. The current study analyzed the links between CMN, self-stigma, self-compassion and willingness to seek formal help after experiences of interpersonal violence (IPV) in women and men. Methods A cross-sectional online-questionnaire study was conducted with 491 German-speaking participants (65.6% women/34.4% men; age: M = 36.1 years; SD = 14.2). Participants read three vignettes about experienced IPV. Afterwards, they indicated how likely they would be to seek medical or psychological help if they were in the main characters’ situation. The Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory, Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, Self-Compassion Scale were used. Separate manifest path models were calculated for women and men. Results CMN and low self-compassion were linked to strong self-stigma. In turn, strong self-stigma was associated with reduced help-seeking intentions. In men, the interaction term Self-Compassion x CMN on self-stigma indicated that strong CMN was linked to increased self-stigma, especially in men with low self-compassion. Also, indirect links between CMN and help-seeking intentions via self-stigma have been found. However, in people with strong self-compassion, direct links between CMN and help-seeking intentions became evident. Conclusions In women and men self-compassion was linked to reduced self-stigma. As is suggested from past research, self-compassion might “buffer” the link between CMN and self-stigma, especially in men. However, there might be an influence of strong CMN on help-seeking intentions also in people with strong self-compassion. This route might not be mediated by self-stigma and therefore, future research is needed to detect other potential mediators. Key messages • Self-compassion might “buffer” the link between CMN and self-stigma in men. • Future research is needed to study mediators between strong CMN and help-seeking intentions in people with strong self-compassion.

Conformity to masculine norms and self-stigma of help-seeking are not unique barriers to formal help-seeking in men, but are also relevant for women

IntroductionStudies that explain men’s reduced willingness for formal help-seeking for depressive symptoms often did not analyze whether assumed unique barriers, namely, conformity to masculine norms (CMN), reduced self-compassion, and self-stigma are also linked to women’s help-seeking behavior.ObjectivesThe current study analyzed whether CMN, self-compassion, and self-stigma for help-seeking are linked to women’s and men’s willingness to seek formal help for depressive symptoms.Methods German-speaking participants (N=481; 68.8% women, 31.2% men; Mage=35.6, SD=14.2) of an online-questionnaire study read a vignette about a character with depressive symptoms. Participants indicated how likely they would be to seek medical or psychological help if they were in the character’s situation. Furthermore, the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory, Self-Stigma of Seeking Help scale, and Self-Compassion Scale were used.ResultsWomen and men were moderately willing to seek formal help for depressive symptoms. A manifest path model revealed that strong CMN and low self-compassion were linked to strong self-stigma in women and men. Strong self-stigma was associated with reduced help-seeking intentions. In men with low self-compassion CMN was directly linked to reduced willingness for help-seeking. In women and men with strong self-compassion no direct, but indirect links between CMN and reduced help-seeking intentions via self-stigma were found.ConclusionsCMN and self-stigma of help-seeking were not unique barriers in men, but also were relevant for women’s formal help-seeking intentions. Even though increased self-compassion was associated with decreased self-stigma, interventions that aim to increase self-compassion may not help increase help-seeking behaviors.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Predictors of attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among Turkish college students

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine correlates of attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help among Turkish college students. A convenience sample of 1066 students from a large Turkish public university completed the measures of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form, Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale, Disclosure Expectations Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Single Item Self-Rated Health Scale, and Sociodemographic Information Form. Data were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this study suggested that being female, being older, having previous help-seeking experience, as well as lower levels of anticipated risks, self-stigma, self-esteem, and self-rated health and higher levels of anticipated benefits were associated with positive help-seeking attitudes among Turkish college students. The results of the present study may contribute to determining cross-cultural correlates of help-seeking attitudes among college students.

Using Item Response Theory to Develop Revised (SSOSH-7) and Ultra-Brief (SSOSH-3) Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scales.

The current research developed ultra-brief (SSOSH-3) and revised (SSOSH-7) versions of the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help scale. Item response theory was used to examine the amount of information each item provided across the latent variable scale and test whether items functioned differently across women and men. In a sample of 857 community adults, results supported removal of three reverse-scored items to create the SSOSH-7. The three most informative items were retained to create the SSOSH-3. Differential item functioning testing supported the use of both versions across women and men. Results replicated in an undergraduate student sample (n = 661). In both samples, the SSOSH-3 (αs = .82-.87) and SSOSH-7 (αs = .87-.89) demonstrated evidence of internal consistency. The SSOSH-3 (rs ≥ .89) and SSOSH-7 (rs ≥ .97) were highly correlated with the original SSOSH across samples and demonstrated significant correlations with help-seeking constructs and in similar magnitude to the original SSOSH.

Assessing Self-Stigma of Help-Seeking in Student Veterans: A Psychometric Validation Study

ABSTRACT Transition from regimented military life to a less structured college life can pose considerable challenges for student veterans. However, student veterans may be reluctant to seek psychological help because of the help-seeking stigma in the military culture. The present study investigated the measurement structure, reliability, and validity of the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale in a sample of student veterans in the United States. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor measurement structure: (a) feeling of inadequacy, and (b) threat to self-confidence with relevant internal consistency reliability and construct validity. In the present study, feeling of inadequacy was found to be associated with interpersonal relationship problems, alcohol, and drug use problems, and depression, while threat to self-confidence was found to be associated with alcohol and drug use problems only. Implications for outreach services and the use of positive psychology interventions to lessen the stigma associated with seeking help are discussed.

Act-Belong-Commit Framework For A Mentally Healthy College Campus: Campus Recreation And Exercise Science Partnership

A growing concern for universities is the state of mental health with a clear need for positive mental health campaigns and strategies to shift the culture surrounding mental well-being. Our campus has adopted a holistic framework, Act-Belong-Commit, to improve mental health through positive intentional engagement in activities. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the mental health climate and well-being of current students on a primarily residential collegiate campus before the implementation of Act-Belong-Commit campaign. METHODS: 176 students (21.2±2.5yrs; 162 female, 19 male, 2 gender non-binary) participated in the campus-wide survey. There was equal representation of the students across years in school with little ethnic/racial diversity: (Caucasian=93%; African American=2%; Hispanic/Latinx=3%; Asian=2%) and some diversity in sexual orientation (heterosexual=87%; homosexual=2%; bisexual=8%, or other=2%). Measures included: Satisfaction With Life (SWL), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSSHS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), Resilience and the Meaning of Life Questionnaire (MLQ). A small subset (n=55) completed an ABC self-assessment. RESULTS: Social Support was significantly correlated (p<0.05) with many positive mental health outcomes: SWL (r=.62); Resilience (r=.39); Meaning of Life (r=.34); Depression Subscale (r=-.56); Anxiety Subscale (r=-.34); Stress (r= -0.35). High perceived social support and positive mental health were also seen in people high on ACT (Social Support r=.32; resilience r=.37, depression r=-.32, anxiety r=-.26, and stress r=-.36) and BELONG (SWL r=.35, resilience r=.39, depression r=-.29, stress r=-.28). CONCLUSION: Social support and a sense of belonging was integrally tied to measures of positive mental health and improved satisfaction with life measures. Belonging comes from being engaged in an active life with people and activities that bring meaning and purpose. Campus recreation and exercise science programs will lead the implementation of the ABC campaign, promoting physical activity, mindfulness/mediation, and play as activities to engage in a various levels as part of this positive mental health campaign.

Initial validation of the help-seeker stereotype scale in a Chinese cultural context: A bifactor model

This study aimed to validate a measure of negative help-seeker stereotype agreement (Help-Seeker Stereotype Scale, HSSS) in a Chinese Cultural Context. A series of questionnaires was completed by 603 Chinese college students, including the HSSS, the Stigma Scale of Receiving Psychological Help (SSRPH), and the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH). The factor structure, measurement invariance, internal consistency and convergent validity were assessed. The results showed that a bifactor model fitted the HSSS best and was invariant across genders. As the general factor influenced the group factors strongly, the construct measured by this scale was rather unidimensional than multidimensional. While the total score demonstrated adequate internal consistency, the reliabilities of the two dimensions were unacceptable, suggesting that the use of observed dimensional score should be discouraged. Moreover, the HSSS total score correlated significantly with the SSRPH and SSOSH in an expected pattern, providing convergent evidence of validity. Overall, the HSSS is a promising instrument for future self-stigma related research and practice in China.

Validation of the Malay Mental Help Seeking Attitude Scale

There is a rise in the incidence and prevalence of mental distress among Malaysians. However, the rate of mental health service utilization is low. As mental help-seeking attitude is a strong predictor for seeking mental health treatment, it is important to validate a feasible and psychometrically sound instrument in the Malaysian context. This study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of a recently developed help-seeking attitude scale, the Mental Help Seeking Attitude Scale (MHSAS) among Malaysian youth. A total of 261 students from a secondary school (n=127) and a university (n=134) from the Klang Valley, Malaysia participated in this study. They were self-administered the 9-item Malay MHSAS along with the General Help-seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ) and Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH). Retest of the MHSAS was conducted with 47 students three months later. Factor analysis was employed to evaluate construct validity, while concurrent validity was determined through bivariate correlation with the SSOSH and GHSQ scales. Paired-samples t-test was conducted to evaluate test-retest reliability. The single dimensionality of the MHSAS’s original version was supported. Factor loadings ranged from .636 to .799, and inter-item correlation ranged from .547 to .726. Results revealed high internal consistency and test-retest reliability was confirmed. The scale also demonstrated acceptable concurrent validity when compared with the GHSQ and SSOSH. The Malay version of the MHSAS demonstrated good psychometric properties to measure help-seeking attitudes in the Malaysian youth population.

Structural Equation Modeling and Relationships Between Mental Wellbeing, Resilience and Self-stigma

This study investigated mental wellbeing of postgraduate and undergraduate students of International Islamic University Malaysia. Precisely, the objective of this study was to verify the validity of a proposed mental wellbeing model that include resilience and self-stigma exogenous variables, another aim of the survey was to determine if gender, education level, material status, international and non-international student and location where they live moderated the associations between mental wellbeing and its predictors. The survey adapted existing instruments: Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being (WEMWB) Scale of 14-item questionnaire, Brief Resilience Scale of 6-item questionnaire and Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH) 10-item questionnaire and a demographic survey was developed for this study. The data were collected randomly from 315 student of International Islamic University Malaysia. To address the research objectives, the data were analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results obtained by this study shows that, the model had an excellent fit, because RMSEA .007 &lt; .06, CFI .999 &gt; .95, Based on these results it can be concluded that the proposed model is valid, approving the very first hypothesis for this study. Additionally, gender, educational, location when they live and International and Malaysian student, did not moderate the predictor-mental wellbeing relationships.

Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia

BackgroundMental illness rates among young people is high, yet the frequency of help-seeking is low, especially among those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Understanding factors influencing help-seeking, such as mental illness beliefs, stigma and literacy among B40 individuals is important, but past studies are sparse. Hence, we aimed to examine the factors associated with mental help-seeking attitude among students from the B40 income bracket. Differences in beliefs toward mental illness, stigma and help-seeking attitudes among university and secondary school students were also investigated.MethodsUniversity and secondary school students from low-income households (N = 202) were involved in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Depression Literacy Questionnaire (D-Lit), General Help Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ), Mental Help Seeking Attitudes Scale (MHSAS), Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH), and Beliefs toward Mental Illness (BMI).ResultsMental help-seeking attitude had a significant relationship with self-stigma on seeking help (r = −.258, p < .001), general help-seeking attitude (r = .156, p = .027), and age (r = .187, p < .001). However, the strongest predictor for mental help-seeking attitude was self-stigma on seeking help (F (2,199) = 8.207, p < .001 with R2 of .076). University students had better depression literacy and lower levels of self-stigma and negative beliefs toward mental illness compared to secondary school students.ConclusionHigher self-stigma and younger age were associated with negative mental help-seeking attitudes among students from low-income households. As self-stigma may be a barrier to actual mental help-seeking, efforts to reduce self-stigma in this population need to be intensified.