title: Adolescent trust and primary care: Help-seeking for emotional and psychological difficulties.
abstract: Although a quarter of adolescents are likely to experience emotional and psychological difficulties, only a third of them will seek professional help. In this exploratory study we undertook focus groups with 54 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 16 in eight post-primary schools in Northern Ireland. Young people do not trust their GPs, perceiving them as strangers, impersonal and uncaring. The basis of distrust is different among males and females. The findings are discussed in light of adolescents' developmental challenges of identity formation and the consequent demand to be respected and taken seriously by adults.
authors.affiliation: The Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing at Ulster University, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK. Electronic address: d.corry@ulster.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Dagmar Anna S
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Corry
authors.affiliation: The Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing at Ulster University, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK. Electronic address: g.leavey@ulster.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leavey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D009660:Northern Ireland; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Adolescents; Emotional difficulties; GPs; Help-seeking; Self-esteem; Trust