Does self-help increase rates of help seeking for student mental health problems by minimizing stigma as a barrier?. Issue 4 (19th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Levin, Michael E.; Krafft, Jennifer; Levin, Crissa
• Is Part Of: Journal of American college health. Volume 66:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 302
• Page End: 309
• Publication Date: 2018-05-19
• Subjects: eHealth -- mHealth -- Stigma -- Treatment seeking -- University students; College students -- Health and hygiene -- United States -- Periodicals; College students -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; College students -- Mental health -- Periodicals; Universities and colleges -- Health promotion services -- Periodicals; 362.10883781980973
• DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2018.1440580
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0744-8481

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objective : This study examined whether self-help (books, websites, mobile apps) increases help seeking for mental health problems among college students by minimizing stigma as a barrier.Participants and Methods : A survey was conducted with 200 college students reporting elevated distress from February to April 2017.Results : Intentions to use self-help were low, but a significant portion of students unwilling to see mental health professionals intended to use self-help. Greater self-stigma related to lower intentions to seek professional help, but was unrelated to seeking self-help. Similarly, students who only used self-help in the past reported higher self-stigma than those who sought professional treatment in the past. Although stigma was not a barrier for self-help, alternate barriers were identified.Conclusions : Offering self-help may increase rates of students receiving help for mental health problems, possibly by offering an alternative for students unwilling to seek in-person therapy due to stigma concerns.