title: Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adolescents and young adults frequently experience mental disorders, yet tend not to seek help. This systematic review aims to summarise reported barriers and facilitators of help-seeking in young people using both qualitative research from surveys, focus groups, and interviews and quantitative data from published surveys. It extends previous reviews through its systematic research methodology and by the inclusion of published studies describing what young people themselves perceive are the barriers and facilitators to help-seeking for common mental health problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty two published studies of perceived barriers or facilitators in adolescents or young adults were identified through searches of PubMed, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane database. A thematic analysis was undertaken on the results reported in the qualitative literature and quantitative literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen qualitative and seven quantitative studies were identified. Young people perceived stigma and embarrassment, problems recognising symptoms (poor mental health literacy), and a preference for self-reliance as the most important barriers to help-seeking. Facilitators were comparatively under-researched. However, there was evidence that young people perceived positive past experiences, and social support and encouragement from others as aids to the help-seeking process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strategies for improving help-seeking by adolescents and young adults should focus on improving mental health literacy, reducing stigma, and taking into account the desire of young people for self-reliance.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. amelia.gulliver@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gulliver
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055815:Young Adult