title: Seeking and obtaining mental health services: what do parents expect?
abstract: This study examined parents' expectations about seeking and obtaining mental health care. Using the Expectations of Mental Health Care survey, structured interviews were conducted with 235 parents with children between the ages of 5 and 19; most were African American. Expectations were assessed in four areas: treatment effectiveness, provider/client relationship, accessibility of mental health services, and social and cultural factors, e.g., stigma. Parents reported a number of negative expectations, and black parents had significantly more negative expectations than white parents. The findings suggest that attitudes and expectations may influence parents' decision to seek mental health care for their child.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, 27402-6172, USA..
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D015144:Southeastern United States; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome