Barriers to and Facilitators of Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors Among South Asian American College Students

The current study examined the influence of cultural values on mental health attitudes and help-seeking behaviors in college students of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Asian and Latinx college students (N = 159) completed an online survey in which they reported their adherence to cultural values and general attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behavior. Factor analysis revealed two common factors of cultural values irrespective of ethnic background: Interdependent Orientation (IO) and Cultural Obligation (CO). Regardless of ethnicity, the more students endorsed IO values, the less likely they were to perceive a need for mental health treatment. IO value adherence also predicted more negative attitudes towards mental health. CO values were not predictive of perceived need or help-seeking behaviors. Findings highlight the importance of assessing certain cultural values independently from ethnicity and considering how the multidimensionality of culture may help explain shared mental health behaviors across ethnic group membership.

Download Full-text

Mental Health Stigma, Self-Concealment, and Help-Seeking Attitudes among Asian American and European American College Students with No Help-Seeking Experience

International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling ◽

10.1007/s10447-011-9129-1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 266-279 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Akihiko Masuda ◽

Matthew S. Boone

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

College Students ◽

Asian American ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Mental Health Stigma ◽

European American ◽

Help Seeking Attitudes

Download Full-text

The Effects of Stigma on Determinants of Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Male College Students: An Application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988318773656 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 1286-1296 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Rita DiGioacchino DeBate ◽

Amy Gatto ◽

Gregor Rafal

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

College Students ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Well Being ◽

College Campuses ◽

Behavioral Skills ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Male College ◽

Mental Well Being

Considered a public health issue, the prevalence and severity of poor mental well-being on college campuses has continued to rise. While many college campuses offer mental health counseling services, and utilization rates are increasing, their proportional usage is low especially among males, who often deal with poor mental well-being by adopting unhealthy coping strategies. The purpose of this study was to use the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model to assess the relationship between the determinants as factors that may impact help-seeking behaviors in a large sample ( n = 1,242) of male college students. Employing a cross-sectional study design, a 71-item online survey assessed information via total mental health literacy (MHL), motivation via attitudes toward mental health and subjective norms regarding mental health, and behavioral skills via intentions regarding help-seeking behaviors, and stigma. Results revealed correlations between information and motivation ( r = .363, p < .01), information and behavioral skills ( r = .166, p < .01), and motivation and behavioral skills ( r = .399, p < .01). Multiple regression was used to determine stigma is a mediator for all relationships. These findings represent an opportunity to take a public health approach to male mental health through developing multilayered interventions that address information, motivation, behavioral skills, and stigma.

Download Full-text

Exploring Family Multi-type Maltreatment, Social Support, and Externalizing and Internalizing Problems Among Asian and Asian American College Students

Asian Journal of Social Science Studies ◽

10.20849/ajsss.v5i3.780 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Yoko Baba ◽

James D. Lee ◽

Michael E. Vallerga

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

United States ◽

Social Support ◽

College Students ◽

Asian American ◽

Internalizing Problems ◽

The United States ◽

Externalizing And Internalizing Problems ◽

Asian American College Students

Exposure to family violence as a child has a detrimental long-term impact on one’s life. This relationship is under-researched in Asian populations in the United States or in Asian countries. This study examined long-term effects of maltreatment, including interparental violence and child maltreatment on externalizing and internalizing problems experienced by Asian and Asian American college students. We also explored protective effects of social support against the negative consequences of family maltreatment. Surveying 542 college students in Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and the United States, we measured effects of family maltreatment on problem outcomes and examined the role of social support. Exposure to dual harm of family maltreatment (i.e., intraparental violence and child maltreatment) increased students’ externalizing problems compared to exposure to one type of family maltreatment, but no differences in internalizing behaviors were found. Effects of social support from parents and peers on externalizing and internalizing problems were neither moderating nor mediating, but direct. Those who received parental support had fewer externalizing behaviors, but effects of peer support were not significant. In contrast, those who obtained parental and peer support showed lower levels of internalizing mental health concerns. Surprisingly, men exhibited more mental health issues than women. Exposure to dual harm increases behavioral problems, but family support can help repair damage among Asian and Asian American college students. The relationship between abuse and problem outcomes was similar across countries, indicating common psychological processes.

Download Full-text