Mental Health Utilization Among Diverse Parenting Young Couples

Abstract

Mental health issues often become apparent as adolescents emerge into young adulthood. The use of mental health services is low among adolescents and young adults, and use is particularly low among minorities. In this study, we examine mental health utilization among diverse young parenting couples. The sample consisted of 296 couples. We used the social–personal framework to examine personal, family, partner relationship, and environmental predictors for using mental health services. We used the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model to assess actor and partner effects on mental health utilization. We also examined moderator effects for gender and internalizing and externalizing behaviors. We found that being female, being White, higher income, more conduct problems, and less anxious romantic attachment predicted mental health utilization. Significant moderator effects included depression × gender, depression × medical insurance, and stress × Latino. Implications for community mental health practice include conducting mental health assessments during medical visits and systematic mental health follow-up for individuals and couples with identified mental health and support needs. Future research should include married couples and the spouse’s influence on mental health use and examine relevant parenting factors that may also predict mental health utilization among couples.

Trajectories of Mental Health–Related Service Use Among Adolescents With Histories of Early Externalizing Problems

“…For one, it is unclear to what extent at-risk adolescents in disadvantaged communities access services. They are less likely to receive necessary mental health services compared to those in more privileged communities (14), possibly due to service-related costs, lack of insurance, and an overall deficit in accessible services (15). Moreover, families may have difficulty accessing available services because of geographical barriers, though having a child with externalizing problems is a strong predictor of mental health service use (14).…”

Parenting in young mothers: a scoping review

“…As a result of exposure to difficult family conditions, teenage mothers want to learn how the condition does not progress and influence the decisions they take with a partner, a unique experience that some teenagers from inharmonious families experience encouraging them to learn. Maintaining relationships and parenting responsibilities requires specialized relational knowledge and skills that teen mothers rarely have (Albritton et al, 2015).…”