Internal working models, self-reported problems, and help-seeking attitudes among college students.

Abstract

A person's internal working models of close relationships (J. Bowlby, 1988) incorporate 2 discrete yet interrelated cognitive schemas: a self model containing perceptions of one's own worth and lovability and an other model embodying core expectations about the trustworthiness and dependability of intimate others in one's social world. This study tested hypothesized interrelationships, in a college-student sample, (a) between self-model differences and self-reported problems and (b) among other-model differences, problem levels, and helpseeking attitudes. As expected, students with positive self models reported significantly fewer problems than did students with negative self models. In addition, students' other-model grouping significantly interacted with their problem levels to predict their expressed willingess to seek counseling. Implications of the findings for counseling practice are discussed.The acknowledgement of personal problems does not, in and of itself, propel affected persons to seek therapeutic help. Presumably, those persons who voluntarily pursue counseling must not only be experiencing distress but must also be inclined, under these circumstances, to perceive others as potential sources of help and support. Because those individual differences that dispose persons to experience problems may be distinct from those that orient them favorably toward seeking help from others, it is important to consider how these person factors may be conceptually interrelated.In this study, we used contemporary attachment theory (Bowlby, 1988) to generate and test hypotheses regarding these individual differences. In particular, we focused on Bowlby's concept of internal working models of attachment as a means of operationalizing (a) subgroups assumed to differ in their dispositions to report personal problems and (b) other subgroups assumed to differ in their inclinations to seek therapeutic help when experiencing high levels of problems.Internal Working Models of Self and Other Attachment theory has been described as a framework for understanding affect regulation in the context of close Frederick G. Lopez, Mickey C. Melendez, Eric M. Sauer, Ellie Berger, and James Wyssmann, Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education, Michigan State University. The contributions of the four junior authors were equal, and their order of authorship was randomly determined.We thank James Fuendeling, Kim Thomas, and David Sagula for their assistance with data collection. We also thank Anne Mauricio, Tracy Smith, and Ken Rice for their comments on earlier versions of the article.Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Frederick G. Lopez, Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education, 441 Erickson Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824.relationships (Kobak & Sceery, 1988). A basic assumption of the theory is that critical variations in the quality of one's early experiences with caregiving figures-particularly around themes of separati...

Seeking help from a mental health professional: The influence of one's social network

“…The measure has been found to detect preferences in college students' intent to seek mental health services (Cash et al, 1975). The ISCI has also been found to be associated with the significance of a current problem (Lopez, Melendez, Sauer, Berger, & Wyssmann, 1998). Adequate internal consistency estimates have been present across studies (.84-.95; Kelly & Achter, 1995;Lopez et al, 1998;Solberg, Ritsma, Davis, Tata, & Jolly 1994).…”

The mediating roles of anticipated risks, anticipated benefits, and attitudes on the decision to seek professional help: An attachment perspective.

“…In the current sample, the internal consistency of the Psychological and Interpersonal Concerns subscale was .90. The ISCI has been found to detect variation in college student's' intent to seek counseling on the basis of counselor attractiveness (Cash et al, 1975), correlate with the perceived significance of a current problem among those with a positive working model of others (Lopez et al, 1998), and mirror general attitudes toward seeking help (r ϭ .36; Kelly & Achter, 1995). As before, three parcels were created from the interpersonal subscale to represent the observed indicators of intentions to seeking counseling for psychological and interpersonal concerns.…”

“…Both Feeney and Ryan (1994) and have reported that those with higher levels of attachment avoidance report less intention to seek psychological help. In addition, Lopez et al (1998) found that, among individuals experiencing psychological problems, those with a negative model of others (i.e., high levels of attachment avoidance) were less willing to seek counseling than those with positive models of others. These tendencies have also been found in day-to-day support interactions.…”

“…Adult attachment has been presented as one possible explanation for how individuals evaluate the potential benefits and risks of seeking help when confronted by psychological stressors (Feeney & Ryan, 1994;Lopez, Melendez, Sauer, Berger, & Wyssmann, 1998;. As originally conceived, attachment theory (Bowlby, 1988) hypothesized that evolution furnished human infants with an innate biological drive aimed at maintaining proximity to caregivers, thus enhancing safety and the likelihood of survival.…”

Counselling Services Utilisation in a Malaysia Private University

“…Women were more receptive and have higher positive attitudes compared to men (Lopez, Melendez, Sauer, Berger, & Wyssmann, 1998;Vogel, Wade, Wester, Larson, & Hackler, 2007;Greenidge, 2007). For instance, Kano (city in Nigeria) female students in tertiary institutions preferred to seek help from expert guidance in resolving their problem while male students' preferred non-expert guidance (Kolo, 1994).…”