Nowhere else to go: Help seeking online and maladaptive decisional styles. (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Jisoo; Phillips, James G.; Ogeil, Rowan P.
• Is Part Of: Computers in human behavior. Volume 128(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: Treatment seeking -- Decision-making -- Quality of life -- Depression -- Suicide -- Mental health; Interactive computer systems -- Periodicals; Man-machine systems -- Periodicals; 004.019
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2021.107103
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0747-5632

Abstract

Abstract: Many high-risk individuals do not use mental health services. This is a concern for mental health and suicide prevention efforts, and requires an examination of the role of decision-making style upon willingness to seek help. To consider whether defensive avoidance influenced willingness to engage with Professionals or online assistance, participants (N = 189) answered an online survey, completing the Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire and WHOQOLBref. Participants were then asked their preferred source of assistance, and their subsequent behaviour (time, clicks) was tracked on a debrief page listing sources of assistance. Overall quality of life was used to determine risk. Multiple regression indicated that people with poorer quality of life had poorer decisional styles. A 2 × 4 Risk by Preferred Source of Assistance MANOVA found that: (1) people seeking online assistance were hypervigilant procrastinators; (2) self-sufficiency and an unwillingness to seek professional assistance by those at risk was linked to panic and confirmed behaviourally from the increased number of clicks on a debrief page. Decision making styles can influence quality of life, and help-seeking behaviors, and this has implications for outreach towards those with poor engagement with offline mental health services. Highlights: An online survey looked at risk, decisional styles, and willingness to seek help. A preference for online assistance was associated with hypervigilance. A reluctance to seek offline help was documented from online activity.