title: Women's intentions of informal and formal help-seeking for mental health problems during the perinatal period: The role of perceived encouragement from the partner.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  this study aimed to examine the relationship between women's intentions to seek informal help and to seek professional help and to explore the indirect effects of women's perceived encouragement to seek professional help from their male partner. Moreover, this study aimed to examine if these relationships vary as function of the presence of higher levels of perinatal distress.
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional internet survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  participants were recruited through advertisements published in pamphlets and posted on social media websites (e.g., Facebook) and websites and forums that focused on pregnancy and childbirth.
  
  
  METHODS
  231 women (pregnant/ had a baby during the last 12 months) completed the survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  participants were questioned about sociodemographic and clinical data and were assessed concerning perinatal distress (Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), intentions to seek informal and formal help (General Help-Seeking Questionnaire) and perceived encouragement from the partner to seek professional help.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the women reported a significantly higher intention to seek help from their partner than to seek professional help (p < .001). Although women with higher perinatal distress levels presented lower intentions to seek informal help from the male partner (p = .001) and perceived less encouragement from the male partner to seek professional help (p < .001), the presence of perinatal distress did not moderate the relationship between those variables. A significant indirect effect on the relationship between women's intention to seek informal and professional help occurred through the women's perceived encouragement from the male partner to seek professional help.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the results of this study highlight the important role of the male partner's encouragement in women's professional help-seeking for mental health problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  awareness campaigns about perinatal distress and about professional treatment benefits may be directed universally to all women in the perinatal period and should include women's significant others, such as their partners. Health professionals should recognize and support the prominent role of the women's partners in the help-seeking process.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC) of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: ana.fonseca77@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC) of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: mccanavarro@fpce.uc.pt.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Canavarro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D010465:Perception; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000379:methods; D011174:Portugal; D011247:Pregnancy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Couple; Formal help; Help-seeking intentions; Informal help; Perinatal distress; Perinatal period