Brief report: Need for autonomy and other perceived barriers relating to adolescents' intentions to seek professional mental health care.
The current study examined the relationship between belief-based barriers to seeking professional mental health care and help-seeking intentions in a sample of 1037 adolescents. From early adolescence to adulthood, for males and females, the need for autonomy was a strong barrier to seeking professional mental health care. Help-seeking fears were weaker in the older age groups. Having lower perceived need for autonomy and believing that prior mental health care was helpful was significantly associated with higher intentions to seek future professional mental health care. Implications for prevention and overcoming barriers to seeking mental health care are suggested.
Wilson
Coralie J
CJ
Illawarra Institute for Mental Health, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia. coralie_wilson@uow.edu.au
Deane
Frank P
FP
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires