Students’ Attitudes to Mental Health; Measuring Stigma and Help Seeking Behaviour.

Shelly, Catriona (2016) Students’ Attitudes to Mental Health; Measuring Stigma and Help Seeking Behaviour. Manchester Metropolitan University. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Previous literature has demonstrated the barrier that mental health stigma is to seeking mental health services. This research aimed to provide an insight into the attitudes towards mental health held by students and measured levels of stigmatising attitudes and help seeking propensity (one’s willingness and perceived ability to seek help for psychological problems). Adopting a quantitative, correlational survey design, the study aimed to establish the effect between the two variables stigma and help seeking. Furthermore, establish whether ethnic/cultural backgrounds and gender has a significant effect on attitudes to mental health. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed stigma did not significantly predict help seeking propensity among students. In accordance with the hypotheses, gender and ethnicity were found to be significant predictors of help seeking propensity. Whilst displaying evidence that mental health stigma is not a formidable barrier to help seeking among students, the findings confirm the varying experience of mental health stigma felt across cultures and gender.