Predicting Self-Esteem and Intentions to Seek Counseling

Abstract

This investigation introduced the Internalized Stigma Model to test the mechanisms by which the stigma of mental illness and of seeking psychological help affect self-esteem and intentions to seek counseling. We hypothesized that both stigmas would predict decreased self-esteem, but only stigma of seeking psychological help would predict decreased intentions to seek counseling. Furthermore, we predicted that these links follow a process wherein people's perceptions of societal stigma are fully mediated by internalization of that stigma. Public stigmas predict their respective self-stigmas, which subsequently predict self-esteem and intentions. Using structural equation modeling, we tested the hypothesized relationships in a sample of undergraduates (N = 448). Results supported the hypotheses. Selfstigma mediated the relationship between public stigma and both outcomes; both self-stigma of mental illness and self-stigma of seeking psychological help predicted decreased self-esteem, but only self-stigma of seeking psychological help predicted decreased intentions to seek counseling.

Stigma, attitudes, and intentions to seek mental health services in college student-athletes

“…Someone may be aware of public stigmas and stereotypes associated with mental illness or with seeking help for mental health issues, but may not internalize them. In fact, several studies have found that self-stigma likely plays a stronger role than public stigma in the relationship with attitudes toward counseling (e.g., Lally, O'Conghaile, Quigley, Bainbridge, & McDonald, 2013;Lannin, Vogel, Brenner, & Tucker, 2015;Nam et al, 2013;Shechtman, Vogel, & Maman, 2010). In fact, higher levels of self-stigma may reduce the likelihood that individuals even seek out information related to mental health, let alone seek actual counseling services (Lannin, Vogel, Brenner, Abraham, & Heath, 2016).…”

Age differences in public stigma, self‐stigma, and attitudes toward seeking help: A moderated mediation model

“…Within the mental health field, there is an important distinction between stigma related to having a mental illness and stigma related to seeking mental health services (Tucker et al, 2013). The current study focuses on stigma associated with mental health service use because it is more strongly related to intentions to seek professional help than is stigma related to mental illness (Lannin, Vogel, Brenner, & Tucker, 2015;Tucker et al, 2013). Stigma related to seeking help can be further divided into public stigma of seeking help, which refers to the negative views that the general public may have about people who seek help for mental health problems, and selfstigma of seeking help, which refers to negative views that people with mental health problems have about themselves in relation to seeking help (Corrigan, 2004;Corrigan, Druss, & Perlick, 2014).…”

“…Stigma related to seeking help can be further divided into public stigma of seeking help, which refers to the negative views that the general public may have about people who seek help for mental health problems, and selfstigma of seeking help, which refers to negative views that people with mental health problems have about themselves in relation to seeking help (Corrigan, 2004;Corrigan, Druss, & Perlick, 2014). Further theoretical advances suggest that public stigma of seeking help can be internalized in the form of self-stigma of seeking help, which in turn affects attitudes and intentions toward seeking help (Lannin et al, 2015;Vogel et al, 2007). In other words, this model of internalized stigma of help-seeking suggests that the more someone believes that others associate stigma with seeking help, the more likely they are to endorse this stigma themselves.…”

The use of a self-affirmation intervention to increase the psychological help-seeking behavior of student Veterans

“…Vogel, Bitman, Hammer, and Wade (2013) found that higher perceptions of public stigma of seeking help predicted higher levels of self-stigma of seeking help. Lannin, Vogel, Brenner, and Tucker (2015) expanded on this finding with their Internalized Stigma Model, which demonstrated that both mental illness stigma and the stigma of seeking help can be internalized, demonstrating the deleterious range of its impact.…”