Promoting college students to seek help for mental health difficulties: a social normative approach

Murphy, Donnchadh; Hennessy, Eilis

doi:10.1080/14623730.2017.1288155

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…These traumas may have been more severe than the events assessed in previous studies, and therefore, participants in the current study were more likely to reach out for help. Two, college students may have more access to resources than community members; and three, colleges have recently increased campaigns to promote help-seeking among their students (see, e.g., Columbia Health, 2019; Murphy & Hennessy, 2017). Many counseling centers now have online services, there are campus peer help groups, and more faculty are including resources in class syllabi.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trauma, Help-Seeking, and the Strong Black Woman

White

Swan

Smith

2023

Journal of Black Psychology

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Research suggests when confronted with hardship, Black women in the United States seek help less than other. This finding may be explained by the cultural stereotype of the Strong Black Woman (SBW). SBW consists of three factors: Mask of Strength, Self-Reliance/Strength, and Caretaking. The current study examined the connection between self-endorsement of SBW and help-seeking behavior and intention, following a traumatic event for Black college women. The SBW full scale was not significantly related to actual help-seeking or intention to seek help. However, post-hoc analyses indicated the three SBW subscales had both positive and negative effects. Greater endorsement of the Caretaking and Self-Reliance subscales positively predicted actual help-seeking and formal actual help-seeking, respectively. However, greater endorsement of the Mask of Strength subscale predicted less help-seeking and fewer intentions to seek help. The findings indicated a more nuanced approach may be needed when studying SBW or working in clinical settings. It may be helpful to bolster aspects of the stereotype, such as the desire to be a good caretaker, while redefining other aspects, such as emotional invulnerability.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trauma, Help-Seeking, and the Strong Black Woman

White

Swan

Smith

2023

Journal of Black Psychology

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“…This discrepancy suggests further research is needed to assess the extent to which norms about mental health related stigma and help-seeking are misperceived within the Kurdish refugee community, and whether perceived norms are associated with personal attitudes about mental health issues and others who may need to seek help. Prior research with college students and other young adults in the US has found that perceived public stigma about mental health is associated with personal attitudes, while the prevalence of public stigma towards mental health issues is overestimated [37,38]. Interventions correcting misperceptions about the prevalence of community-level stigma have led to improved attitudes towards help-seeking for mental distress [37,38].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prior research with college students and other young adults in the US has found that perceived public stigma about mental health is associated with personal attitudes, while the prevalence of public stigma towards mental health issues is overestimated [37,38]. Interventions correcting misperceptions about the prevalence of community-level stigma have led to improved attitudes towards help-seeking for mental distress [37,38].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kurdish Refugee Beliefs about Mental Health and Help-Seeking: A Community-Engaged Research Study in Tennessee

Branam

Yigit

Haji

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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Refugee populations exhibit high rates of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, but are less likely to receive care than the general population. Perceptions among the Kurdish refugee community about causes and consequences of mental illness symptoms and perceived barriers to help-seeking are understudied. This community-engaged research study conducted in-depth interviews with Kurdish refugees from Iraq to explore their beliefs about drivers of mental illness and seeking help for mental health. Iterative thematic analysis of transcripts from ten participants indicated four key themes: (1) social network loss due to resettlement causes poor mental health; (2) socioeconomic status loss due to unrecognized professional qualifications puts strain on mental health; (3) social stigma about mental health and fears about disclosure of mental health issues within community and subsequent negative gossip prevent help-seeking; and (4) social interaction may alleviate mental illness symptoms. Overall, Kurdish refugees perceived social factors as major drivers of mental illness symptoms and barriers to help-seeking in their community. However, while participants believed that the general community attitude was against help-seeking, most participants personally expressed support of anyone in their community needing to see a mental health professional. Future research should assess the extent to which perceived community norms differ from aggregated personal help-seeking attitudes and behaviors among Kurdish refugees from Iraq in the United States.

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