title: Development and preliminary validation of a scale to measure self-efficacy in seeking mental health care (SE-SMHC).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Globally, the prevalence of mental illness is on the rise, although few people with psychiatric disorders actually seek mental health care. One under-researched factor that may impact help-seeking behavior from health care professionals is self-efficacy. This research presents the development and validation of the Self-Efficacy to Seek Mental Health Care (SE-SMHC) scale, a nine item-self report measure. It was hypothesized that self-efficacy for seeking mental health care would be positively associated with higher rates of self-reported help-seeking behavior and higher rates of advising others in distress to access mental health treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized population sample of 977 South Africans completed the SE-SMHC as part of a larger study on barriers to health care for mental illness. SE-SMHC data were subjected to principal component analysis, and data from the larger study were utilized to test the hypotheses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two latent factors emerged from the oblique rotation and accounted for 70% of the variance: SE-KNOW (confidence in one's ability to know how to successfully interface with mental health care systems) and SE-COPE (confidence in one's ability to cope with the consequences of seeking care). Cronbach alphas for both subscales were 0.87 and for the total scale score was 0.93. Both hypotheses were confirmed suggesting evidence of the scale's validity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This data suggests that the SE-SMHC demonstrates good psychometric characteristics and may be a useful research tool and screening instrument for targeted interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 USA.
authors.forename: Crystal Dea
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY USA.
authors.forename: Casey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Care Sciences, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 77 000, Port Elizabeth, 6031 South Africa.
authors.forename: Dalena R M
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: van Rooyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg, Sprängkullsgatan 23, PO Box 720, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lena M C
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Andersson
keywords: Help seeking; Mental health; Self-efficacy