title: Ethnicity as a moderator of how parents' attitudes and perceived stigma influence intentions to seek child mental health services.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Research has identified several variables that affect utilization of mental health services. However, more could be explored regarding ethnic differences among parents seeking help for their children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In our study, 238 caregivers were recruited from the southern United States to examine ethnic differences in intentions to access child mental health services with the Parental Attitudes Toward Psychological Services Inventory (Turner, 2012) as the primary measure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group comparisons indicated that African-American parents reported less positive attitudes and more stigma than European-American or Hispanic-American parents. Moderation analyses found (a) attitudes were associated with a higher level of parental help-seeking intention among European Americans, but not among African Americans or Hispanic Americans and (b) stigma was associated with a lower parent-reported likelihood of help-seeking for Hispanic Americans, but not for European Americans or African Americans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ethnicity deferentially impacts attitudes and stigma associated with seeking mental health services. Public education efforts to increase service use should be tailored toward under-served groups to be more effective.
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M University.
authors.forename: Erlanger A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M University.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jensen-Doss
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M University.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Heffer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002660:Child Guidance; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D057545:Social Stigma; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data