Forty-nine suicide cases were drawn from an original sample of 151 consecutive youth suicide deaths. We used information from 270 interviews with parents and other survivors to evaluate mental health treatment sought for and by the decedent and barriers to mental health treatment. Participants reported the same primary barriers for the decedent:…

The goal of this study was to examine the use of specific coping strategies among self-mutilating college students. The self-mutilating group (n = 44) reported utilizing avoidance strategies more often than did a control group (n = 44) matched for general psychological distress but with no history of self-mutilation. In addition, female, but not…

Research on the qualities and characteristics that individuals value in those from whom they seek "career help" is very limited. Existing studies provide little insight into the meaning behind the labels individuals use to identify valued qualities and characteristics. We address this neglected area using qualitative interviews based on life story…

Appropriate healthcare-seeking behaviour could prevent a significant number of child deaths and complications due to ill health. Improving mothers' care-seeking behaviour could also contribute in reducing a large number of child morbidity and mortality in developing countries. This article aims to determine factors affecting healthcare-seeking…

Past research has shown that many adolescents with depression and anxiety disorders do not consult mental health professionals. This study examines how emotional distress, ambivalence over emotional expression, and causal attribution of depressive and anxious symptoms are related to adolescents' preferred sources of help for these symptoms. 300…

In the present study, the authors examined the contributions of cultural beliefs about the etiology of mental illness to the seeking of help from mental health professionals among college students in 4 cultural groups, European Americans, Chinese Americans, Hong Kong Chinese, and Mainland Chinese. Group differences were found in help-seeking…

This study explored empirically the influence of acculturation (Hispanics' acquisition of behavioral patterns of the North American culture) on help seeking (coping) when a stressful event is experienced. It has been proposed that mental health services in the United States are highly reflective of Anglo American cultural values and thus…

This paper presents a review of the literature on African-American men and the psychotherapeutic process as a coping style. It describes the demographics of African-American men in treatment, reasons for seeking treatment, and common issues being presented in the psychotherapeutic session. Research suggesting that African-American men underutilize…

To increase the understanding of help seeking by college students in large classes, this study examined the help-seeking attitudes, intentions, and goals, and the preferred helping resources of 883 college students. Factor analysis suggested that students could be parsimoniously described by two help-seeking orientations: (1) strategic/adaptive,…

This paper describes two studies conducted to determine whether there is a stigma associated with being in psychotherapy and if so, how that stigma compares with the well-documented stigma associated with mental illness (Wahl, 1995). In the first study, community members (n=89) were asked to listen to an audiotaped statement from a young man. All…

The purpose of this paper is to understand students' perceptions of needs for counseling personal, academic, and career problems, and to realize students' preferences of counseling strategies with respect to these three problem domains. Freshman students at the National Pingtung Teachers College were given the "Needs for Counseling…

This research is based on intake forms from Hawaii's only statewide provider of services to the victims of sexual assault. The analyses reveal that significant differences exist between male and female victims, by age and by assault characteristics, including the type of sexual assault, use of force and injury, length of assault, and the…

Tested a new, shortened scale for measuring willingness to seek help from mental health professionals. Scores correlated with the 29-item scale developed by Fischer and Turner (1970); the new scale's brevity (10 items) should make it easier and less obtrusive for use in research. Discusses the need for further studies on attitudes toward…

Late adolescent college women (N=578) were surveyed regarding eating disorders. Participants found to have eating disorders were younger and more likely to be white, in a sorority, and Christian. Additionally, they were most likely to say that they would prefer a close friend to support them when dealing with disordered eating, followed by their…

Among 258 Midwestern male farmers and ranchers (average age 49), 87 percent coped with problems and difficulties by having faith in God. Respondents generally were reluctant to accept help from professionals, neighbors, or relatives, and were confident in their own abilities to solve their difficulties independently. Contains 22 references.…