Asian Secondary School Students' Help‐Seeking Behaviour and Preferences for Counsellor Characteristics

Abstract

This study examines general help‐seeking behaviours and preferences for the counsellor, characteristics of gender and ethnicity specifically, in a sample of 448 secondary school students in Singapore. The relationship between the age of the student and his/her preference for the gender and ethnicity of a counsellor was also examined. Findings indicated significant differences in preferences for the gender of the counsellor, with most females preferring a same sex counsellor and most males preferring an opposite sex counsellor. Male and female students did not differ in responses regarding preference for ethnicity of counsellor. The findings also indicated a developmental shift in perspective regarding preference for gender and for ethnicity of counsellor. Neither gender nor ethnicity of counsellor mattered to the oldest group of students. In comparison, the younger students either reported a distinct preference for gender and ethnicity of counsellor or stated they were unsure of their response. Findings from the present study that are helpful to counsellors working with an Asian secondary school population will be discussed in the light of previous research.

Psychosocial stressors and help-seeking behavior among undergraduate student teachers in Tanzania

“…In particular, some students feared to ask help from formal college sources. This is consistent with Ang and Yeo (2004) who argued that cultural stigma and the likelihood of bringing shame to the family may explain why some Asian students are reluctant to use formal help services such as counseling. Similarly, Chang (2008) suggested that students' prior experience with the formal help services, their attitude towards formal help services, and the nature of stressors may predict the use of formal help resources.…”

“…However, only 187 (75%) students filled and returned the questionnaire, which were used for analysis. (Azen & Walker, 2011;Batten & Dutton, 2011;Hsu, 2005;Ang & Yeo, 2004;Tinsley, de St Aubin & Brown, 1982) was filled by 187 students. Given the nature of the research questions, the questionnaire was largely made up of categorical variables (Azen & Walker, 2011).…”

“…Over reliance on informal sources of help than the formal sources is congruent to other research findings. For example, Ang and Yeo (2004), Barker (2007), Hsu (2005) and Piper and MacDonald (2008) demonstrated that majority of students would talk to their close friends and family members first on certain stressors before contacting other sources of help. As reported by undergraduate students in a study by Li, Wong and Toth (2013), professional help such as counseling is a last resort "when you feel that the other forms of support are not helping anymore" (p. 9).…”

An introduction to association rule mining: An application in counseling and help-seeking behavior of adolescents

“…Hence, the analyses presented that pertain to counseling and adolescent help-seeking behavior are not meant to be comprehensive. Readers interested in the substantive counseling-based issues of this research may refer to Ang and Yeo (2004).…”

Relationships between adolescents’ preferred sources of help and emotional distress, ambivalence over emotional expression, and causal attribution of symptoms: a Singapore study

“…They may prefer to seek help from their families or friends rather than from mental health professionals (Ang & Yeo, 2004;Hesketh & Ding, 2005;Kuhl et al, 1997;Sheffield et al, 2004;Tishby et al, 2001). Even when mental health services are used, they may be used alongside other resources (see Lee, 2007).…”