Page: investigating the predictors of general psychological help seeking intention among people who attempted suicide by using structural equation modeling

Abstract

Background The aim of this study was to determine the role of suicide literacy, suicide stigma, perceived social support, and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help (ATSPPH) in predicting general help-seeking intention among individuals who have attempted suicide by structural equation modeling. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 462 people who were referred to the hospital due to suicide attempt in one of the cities of eastern Iran in 2023. The sampling method in this study was consecutive sampling. The Pearson correlation, One-way ANOVA, and Independent-samples t-test were used to analyze data by SPSS software. Also, AMOS software was used for conducting structural equation modeling and checking the standardized direct effects and standardized indirect effects between variables. Results Only 0.9% ( n = 4) of participants answered correctly more than 17 questions regarding suicide literacy. The structural equation modeling (SEM) results showed that suicide literacy, suicide stigma, perceived social support, and ATSPPH predicted 51% variance in the general help-seeking intention (R 2 = 0.51, PGFI = 0.607, PCFI = 0.568, RMSEA = 0.064). The variables of suicide literacy (estimate total effect = 0.615), ATSPPH (estimate total effect = 0.368), perceived social support (estimate total effect = 0.123), and suicide stigma (estimate total effect = 0.033) had the greatest impact in predicting the general help-seeking intention. Conclusion The SEM results highlight the importance of paying more attention to suicide literacy, reducing suicide stigma, promoting social support, improving the positive attitude toward mental health services, encouraging people who have attempted suicide to seek psychological help, and finally preventing suicide attempt.