Psychosocial correlates of college students’ help-seeking intention: A meta-analysis.

Abstract

Associations hetween psychosocial variables and help-seeking intention among college students have often been examined, with inconclusive and sometimes conflicting findings. To consolidate the available research, data from 18 eligible studies comprising a total of 6,839 participants were pooled and meta-analyzed. Attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help and anticipated utility demonstrated the strongest correlations with help-seeking intention. Practice implications are discussed, including the importance of psychoeducation on the effectiveness of evidence-based intervention to motivate professional help-seeking.

Parental Influences on University Students’ Mental Help‐Seeking Intentions

“…In keeping with findings of previous researchers (Eisenberg, Gollust, Golberstein, & Hefner, 2007; Li et al, 2014), students with greater mental health literacy and with more positive attitudes toward help‐seeking reported higher help‐seeking intention. Stigma, however, was not associated with students’ help‐seeking intention, contrary to previous findings (Eisenberg et al, 2009).…”

“…This stigma is internalized, which can negatively affect students’ sense of self‐worth (Vogel, Wade, & Haake, 2006) and lead to decreased help‐seeking intention (Hackler et al, 2010) and avoidance of counseling (Vogel, Wester, & Larson, 2007). Similarly, attitudes toward seeking professional counseling are highly correlated with help‐seeking intention among university students (Li, Dorstyn, & Denson, 2014).…”

Predictors of Mental Health Service Use by Young Adults: A Systematic Review

“…Although the studies evaluated the quality of available social support-a variable that has been linked to service utilization (13,22)-significant associations were found for two measurements only. Similarly, a recent meta-analytic review of college students' intentions to use services reported a nonsignificant correlation between intention and various social support measures (70). It would be valuable to further evaluate predictive effects of individual measurements of social support on young adults' help-seeking patterns, with careful attention to measurement issues.…”

Trauma and Dissociation: Predictors of Loneliness in Students at an Urban University

“…Counselors can begin to reach out to these students through information sessions on how to receive professional support, where to seek treatment, and the benefits of such treatment. This information can be provided during academic courses, through social media, or electronically through email or school websites (Li et al, ).…”

“…Counselors can begin to reach out to these students through information sessions on how to receive professional support, where to seek treatment, and the benefits of such treatment. This information can be provided during academic courses, through social media, or electronically through email or school websites (Li et al, 2014). The proportion of students not seeking help is troubling, given that previous studies have found that more than half of the students entering college have experienced a traumatic event (e.g., Frazier et al, 2009;Read, Ouimette, White, Colder, & Farrow, 2011).…”