Investigates the effects of a unit of instruction in mental health on rural adolescents' conceptions of mental illness and their attitudes about seeking professional help for emotional problems. Results indicate that attitudes and conceptions improved and had not deteriorated significantly 12 weeks later. (Author/MKA)

Investigates the determinants of delay behavior in health care seeking in a sample of 292 adolescent patients with STD symptoms. Early health care seeking was determined by perceived seriousness of STDs, an absence of self treatment prior to seeking care, and positive attitudes regarding personal autonomy in condom use behavior. (Contains 17…

Examines factors that influence the prompt seeking of care for symptoms of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Survey of adults in 20 communities in 10 states confirmed the importance of attrition and perceived self-confidence in symptom recognition in care seeking. Concludes that the lack of a significant role of health history and clinician…

In a study of 715 undergraduates, White students reported higher cultural congruity, more positive perceptions of the university environment, and more positive help-seeking attitudes than racial and ethnic minority students. A cultural context variable cluster accounted for help-seeking attitudes for females and both socioracial groups.…

Evaluated predictors of therapy attendance in a sample of substance abusing youth in two southwestern runaway shelters. Runaway youth and their families were engaged into a 15-session ecologically-based family therapy (EBFT) intervention. Fewer days between pretreatment assessment and first therapy session predicted more sessions attended. No…

Two studies examined associations between college students' help seeking and perceptions of their classes' achievement goal structure. Study 1 established that students' help seeking (N = 883 in 6 chemistry classes) could be parsimoniously described by distinct approach (intentions to seek autonomous help from teachers) and avoidance patterns…

Many youth in conflict are reaching out to the Internet for virtual support and guidance. This is a brief alert about this new risk confronting children with suicidal ideations. In most countries, mortality from suicide is the second or third leading cause of teenage deaths. The incidence of suicide attempts peaks during mid-adolescence. Evidence…

Men's violence against mothers and children as a context of separation significantly increases the immediate and longer-term parenting needs of affected children, according to a South Australian study of single mothers' transition and adaptation to living in a single parent household. Qualitative research interviews with 18 separated mothers who…

This study investigated the psychological correlates of treatment seeking for eating disorders in female college students. Results indicated that 56% of the 106 participants with eating-disorder symptomatology did not believe their behaviors warranted therapy. Women with eating-disorder symptoms who did not believe their behaviors warranted…

This longitudinal study examined the relative impact of major variables for predicting adjustment (in terms of both grief and depression) among bereaved parents following the death of their child. Couples (N = 219) participated 6, 13, and 20 months postloss. Use of multilevel regression analyses enabled assessment of the impact of several…

This study investigated the relationships among Africentric cultural values (i.e., the extent to which an individual adheres to a worldview emphasizing communalism, unity, harmony, spirituality, and authenticity), favorable psychological help-seeking attitudes, perceived counseling stigma, and self-concealment (i.e., the tendency to withhold…

Help seeking attitudes and acculturation of Asian Indian Americans were examined in a sample consisted of 69 Asian Indian American students. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale and the Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale. There were no significant…

Whether the help-negation effect as demonstrated for suicidal thoughts was also evident for depressive symptoms was investigated in three studies of young people from diverse urban areas. The studies involved a large sample of younger high school students (years 7-10), a sample of older high school students (years 8-12), and first year university…

The present study examined the associations between preservice teachers' help seeking tendencies, homework beliefs and behavior, and their individual characteristics such as academic delay of gratification, self-esteem, and self-handicap behavior (N = 63). The results indicated that preservice teachers who have a positive attitude toward help…

On the basis of previous research on self-construals, the theory of reasoned action, and persuasive communication, the authors hypothesized that individual, behavioral-focused information would be more effective in increasing help-seeking intention among college students in the United States, whereas relational, normative-focused information would…