Dimensionality, reliability, and predictive evidence of validity for three help-seeking intention instruments: ISCI, GHSQ, and MHSIS.

Abstract

People's intention to seek help from a mental health professional is thought to be the proximal cause of help-seeking behavior and thus is a dependent variable frequently measured by help-seeking researchers. Using a research design that accounted for actual future help-seeking behavior, the present study documented the dimensionality, internal consistency, and predictive evidence of validity of 3 intention instruments: the Intentions to Seek Counseling Inventory (ISCI), General Help Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ), and Mental Help-Seeking Intention Scale (MHSIS). The sample was composed of 405 community-dwelling adults who self-identified as currently experiencing a mental health concern. Results provided support for the ISCI's 3-factor structure and the internal consistency of its 3 subscale scores. In contrast, the GHSQ did not demonstrate clear evidence of adequate measurement model fit or internal consistency in the present sample. Results also tentatively suggested that the 3-item MHSIS is a unidimensional instrument that produces an internally consistent total score with appropriate construct replicability. The ability of these instruments to predict who would seek help from a mental health professional in the next 3 months was also examined. The MHSIS demonstrated the strongest evidence of predictive validity (about 70% of participants were correctly classified), followed by the GHSQ and ISCI. (PsycINFO Database Record

Parental Influences on University Students’ Mental Help‐Seeking Intentions

“…The measure has a predictive validity of nearly 70% for future help‐seeking behavior among community adults with a mental health concern. An internal consistency score of .87 has been reported in a sample of community adults with mental health concerns (Hammer & Spiker, 2018). In the current sample, Cronbach’s alphas were .93 for students and .89 for parents.…”

“…Mental Help‐Seeking Intention Scale. The Mental Help‐Seeking Intention Scale (Hammer & Spiker, 2018) is a three‐item instrument designed to assess an individual’s intention to seek professional mental health help if they had a mental health concern. Items are rated on a 7‐point Likert‐type scale (1 = extremely unlikely/definitely false/strongly disagree to 7 = extremely likely/definitely true/strongly agree ).…”

Physician referral to a psychologist: Testing alternative behavioral healthcare seeking models

“…The three‐item Mental Help‐Seeking Intention Scale (MHSIS; Hammer & Spiker, ) was adapted to measure participants' intention to seek help from the psychologist described in the vignette (e.g., “I would intend to go see the psychologist.”). Participants rated their degree of intention using a 7‐point Likert scale from 1 (e.g., definitely false ) to 7 (e.g., definitely true ), with higher scores indicating greater intention.…”

“…These versions' scores have demonstrated internal consistency (αs > 0.87) and convergent evidence of validity (Hess & Tracey, ). Hammer and Spiker () provided initial support for conceptualizing the MHSIS as a unidimensional instrument that produces an internally consistent total score with appropriate construct replicability and predictive evidence of validity (i.e., prediction of future help‐seeking behavior). Internal consistency was 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI] of 0.938, 0.952) in the present study.…”

“…Participants responded using a seven‐point Likert scale from 1 (e.g., disapprove ) to 7 (e.g., approve ), with higher scores indicating more positive subjective norms. Help‐seeking subjective norms instruments that follow Azjen's () recommendations have previously demonstrated evidence of reliability (α ≥ 0.81; Hammer and Spiker, ) and validity (e.g., significant positive association between subjective norms and intention to seek help; Schomerus et al, ). Internal consistency was 0.75 [95% CI of 0.713, 0.779] in the present study.…”