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Results for “Help-Seeking Behavior”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Mental illness and help-seeking behavior among Mariel Cuban and Haitian refugees in south Florida.

Differences in psychopathology and use of the mental health system by recent refugee groups are explored in light of competing hypotheses stemming from theories of immigrant adaptation and minority mental health. Results show that would-be Haitian refugees arriving in South Florida during the early 1980s had relatively small needs for mental health care, but whatever needs they had were largely unattended by the health services system. Mariel Cubans had far greater needs that were mostly met satisfactorily by virtue of their familiarity with service facilities prior to departure and their incorporation into a favorable social environment. These contextual factors are added and compared with the individual-level predictor variables suggested by Andersen and others. The results' implications for theories of immigrant mental health and help-seeking and for the implementation of effective delivery programs are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Help-seeking behavior in families of schizophrenics.

To meet the exigencies of coping with the onset of schizophrenia in the family, caregivers sought out an array of professional and nonprofessional supports. The respondents to a questionnaire, all members of a self-help group, reported considerable merit to the help of friends, relatives, and group members. In contrast, the various forms of therapy were valued little; nearly half found no value at all. These findings are better understood when needs of families are expressed. Of highest priority are understanding of the illness, practical guidance in patient management, and community resources such as housing. These are not typical functions of therapy. Self-help groups may serve these needs better.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1978

Social and psychological correlates of help-seeking behavior among urban adults.

Drawing from a longitudinal survey of 1,106 urban adults aged 20 to 70, the present study investigated whether persons who sought help from informal and/or formal support systems for major troublesome life changes were distinguishable from those who handled problems without assistance in terms of demographic background, personal resources, social networks, or psychological barriers to help-seeking. Generally, nonseekers who felt self-reliant and respondents who sought assistance from informal associates exclusively seemed well prepared to manage bothersome transitions, crises, or role-related strains. Nonseekers who were reluctant to ask for assistance as well as help-seekers who only contacted professionals were comparatively more at risk.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2025

A Systematic Review of Help-Seeking Barriers for Racial-Ethnic Minority Caregivers Accessing Autism Diagnostic and Intervention Services.

Caregivers play an essential role in early help-seeking and intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Caregivers, therefore, provide a crucial role in helping to address the racial and ethnic disparity identified in accessing ASD intervention and diagnostic services (Bejarano-Martín et al., Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 50(9), 3380-3394, 2020). Unfortunately, racial-ethnic minority caregivers of children with autism (CCA) are less likely to contact a physician or healthcare professionals about their concerns and more likely to delay their contact to have their child evaluated (Zeleke et al., Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 49(10), 4320-4331, 2019). However, little evidence exists to explain why such a gap exists in the help-seeking behaviors between White and racial-ethnic minority CCA. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify articles that have studied barriers in help-seeking for racial-ethnic minority CCA. A broad literature search across four databases was conducted (i.e., PubMed, PsycINFO, Education Resources Information Center, and Child Development and Adolescent Studies). The coding team identified 17 articles on help-seeking barriers for racial-ethnic minority CCA. A thematic analysis was used to narratively synthesize the help-seeking barriers identified across these 17 studies. Four themes emerged from our findings: logistical barriers, provider competence, ASD literacy, and cultural stigma. We also provided clinical recommendations for healthcare providers working with families with racial-ethnic minority CCA.

Humans↗
PubMed1992

Agitation in elderly persons: an integrative report of findings in a nursing home.

Agitated behaviors in the nursing home pose a major problem for caregivers. Our data showed that the three syndromes of agitation--aggressive behaviors, physically nonaggressive behaviors, and verbally agitated behaviors--are differentially related to medical and psychosocial variables. Physically nonaggressive behaviors may be adaptive for a resident who presents a deteriorated stage of dementia, since these behaviors offer stimulation and exercise. Verbally agitated behaviors may be a form of help-seeking behavior for residents with physical disease and depressed affect. Aggressive behaviors are those least understood, although these behaviors correlate with advanced stages of dementia and with poor interpersonal relationships. These findings should be a basis for further studies, with the ultimate goal being improved care for agitated elderly persons.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2025

Barriers and Facilitators of Help-Seeking for LGBTQ+ Survivors of Sexual Violence: A Systematic Review.

People who identify as LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, plus) are known to experience similar or higher levels of sexual violence compared to their heterosexual cisgender counterparts. However, sexual violence research has largely focused on heterosexual female survivors of male perpetrated crime. Thus, the unique support needs and help-seeking patterns of LGBTQ+ survivors are poorly understood. This review addresses this gap by systematically exploring literature on barriers and facilitators to help-seeking for LGBTQ+ survivors of sexual violence. Four databases (PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Web of Science) were searched to identify relevant material, with 35 articles (30 qualitative, 1 quantitative, and 4 mixed-methods) meeting the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analyzed using a narrative synthesis. The topic was investigated almost exclusively cross-sectionally. Barriers included discrimination experiences, myths and stereotypes, feelings of shame and self-blame, and rejection of victim status. Additional barriers were reported by survivors who hold multiple minority identities, in particular LGBTQ+ people of color and sex workers. Facilitators to help-seeking included the intrinsic need to connect with others, social encouragement and empowerment, and positive disclosure experiences. The Power Threat Meaning framework provides insight into these findings by presenting help-seeking behaviors as adaptive responses to increase a sense of safety following a traumatic experience. The analyzed data indicate several implications for the development and improvement services to support LGBTQ+ survivors. They further serve to highlight the need for additional robust research, conducted with an intersectional lens, to explore the needs of sexual and gender minority survivors of sexual violence.

Humans↗
PubMed1992

Use of the Family CAGE in screening for alcohol problems in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the reliability and validity of the Family CAGE (an acronym indicating Cut down on drinking; Annoyed by complaints about drinking; Guilty about drinking; had an Eye-opener first thing in the morning), a four-item instrument intended to assess family alcohol-related problems. DESIGN: Two distinct cross-sectional studies using a survey, and in one study, retrospective chart review. PARTICIPANTS: A random sample of 172 adult patients presenting for nonurgent care to a network of family practice settings and a convenience sample of 107 patients who smoked presenting to a university family practice residency training setting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Family CAGE was compared with alcohol-related variables and scales measuring psychosocial constructs. In the first study, these scales included the Family Stress and Coping Scale; Profile of Mood States; the Family Problems Checklist; and the Duke/University of North Carolina Mini-Health Profile. Chart review included medical utilization rates and prescription of medications. In the second study, a revised version of the Family CAGE was compared with other scales such as the standard CAGE questionnaire; an "Anomy" Scale; the Catchment Epidemiologic Study-Depression Scale; a global self-assessment of alcohol-related problems; and a self-report of lifetime history of major depression and recent self-limited depression. RESULTS: The Family CAGE showed strong internal consistency reliability, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of .84 in the first study and .89 in the second. Construct validity was supported by Family CAGE correlations with family stress, family problems, depression, anxiety, individual stress, and marital dissatisfaction. The Family CAGE was strongly correlated with global assessment of family alcohol-related problems, and was superior to this variable in predicting help-seeking behavior. The Family CAGE was also significantly correlated with a higher sick visit rate and more medications prescribed (despite no difference in functional health status). The standard CAGE was correlated with a recent history of self-limited depression, while the Family CAGE was correlated with a lifetime history of major depression. Sensitivity and specificity rates vary depending on the criterion addressed, but a cutoff score of 2 or more appears to offer the best clinical information. CONCLUSION: The Family CAGE appears to be a reliable, valid, utilitarian measure of family alcohol problems. It offers more information than either a single-item global assessment regarding family alcohol-related problems or the standard CAGE questionnaire. The Family CAGE is strongly correlated with other important psychosocial problems, prescription of psychotropic medications, and health-care utilization. It is brief, understandable, and equally effective in interview and self-administered formats.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Co-morbid symptoms of depression and conduct disorder in First Nations children: some findings from the Flower of Two Soils Project.

The prominence of co-morbidity in children and adolescents has increased over the past decade as new empirical research data has accumulated. Yet little epidemiological data of any kind exists for First Nations Children. Following a brief literature review on co-morbidity in children and adolescents, the authors analyzed data from the Flower of Two Soils Project (M. Beiser, principal investigator) to examine more closely the relationship between self-reported depressive symptoms and parent/teacher reported conduct symptoms. Such a relationship has been consistently found in a number of studies. Children aged 7 to 10 were found to show more academic and social problems when rated as having high conduct symptoms. Children in the co-morbid group were found to have the highest rates of family stress and help-seeking behavior. Suicidal ideation was as high in the conduct and co-morbid groups as it was in the high depression group. More First Nations children were found in the high conduct-low depression group. The significance of these findings is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Does help help? The adaptive consequences of obtaining help from professionals and social networks.

This study reports on a longitudinal analysis of changes in adaptation associated with seeking help on a representative sample of Chicago area adults who had experienced one of three transitions or four crises during the interval between 1972 and follow-up 1976--77 interviews. For each event, respondents are classified into three groups according to their help-seeking behavior: those who went to professionals, those who went only to their social networks, and those who had the event but sought no help. Nine measures of adaptation are used: symptoms of anxiety and depression and strains and stresses in four role areas. Statistical controls equate the groups on demographic characteristics, perceived stress, personal resources, access to help, and elapsed time since the event. There are no consistent statistical significant differences among the groups. No evidence is found that help-seeking has positive adaptive consequences. The findings are not likely to result from an inadequate sample, outcome measures, or statistical controls, but could result from insufficient information on the kind, quality, and duration of the help provided.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1977

Relationships between sons' feelings of being understood by their fathers and measures of the sons' psychological functioning.

Factor analysis of a questionnaire designed to measure a son's feeling of being understood by his father is reported. The questionnaire, which contained 12 paragraphs each purporting to be an aspect of the son's feeling of being understood by his father, was administered in small groups to a sample of 413 male college students along with three indices of son's level of general functioning--a self-concept scale, a somatic complaints inventory, and the degree of help-seeking behavior. Five interpretable factors were extracted from the data. The meaningfulness of the factors was substantiated by their significant correlations with certain of the other measures administered to the sample. Three of the factors were correlated positively (p less than .01) with Ss' self-concept, while two were correlated negatively (p less than .01) with the number of somatic complaints by the Ss'.

Child Rearing↗
PubMed1992

Debunking the myths of adolescence: findings from recent research.

This review summarizes some of the important research findings on adolescence that have accumulated during the past two decades. Current understanding of the adolescent age-period is first discussed with particular attention to the previously held myths about adolescence. Second, a review of existing studies that have examined the problems and help-seeking behaviors of adolescents is presented. Overall, the majority of recent research findings suggest adolescence should not be characterized as a time of severe emotional upheaval and turmoil because the majority (80%) of adolescents manage this transition quite well. Nevertheless, a sizable proportion of youth (20%) do not fare so well, with many not receiving the help they may need.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1978

Service delivery issues in Asian-North American communities.

The authors describe some of the sociocultural factors (e.g., moralistic, religious, psychological, and familial characteristics) that influence the help-seeking behavior of Chinese psychiatric patients in North America. They propose a replicable approach for investigating sociocultural patterns relevant to service delivery to Chinese in other communities.

Canada↗
PubMed1992

Gender differences in the psychosocial correlates of suicidal ideation among adolescents.

Gender differences in the psychosocial correlates of suicidal ideation were studied. A sample of 613 high school students (ages 14-19) completed measures of suicidal ideation, depression, hopelessness, life stress, loneliness, alcohol and drug use, and reasons for living. The results of a discriminant function analysis indicated that males reported higher loneliness and substance abuse scores than females whereas females reported greater suicidal ideation, depression, and reasons for living. The results of multiple regression analyses found that, although the same four variables, depression, hopelessness, substance abuse, and few reasons for living emerged as significant predictors of suicidal ideation in both samples, the predictive equation accounted for more of the variance in ideation scores in females (57%) than in males (46%). In a final analysis a discriminant function analysis of the subscales of the reasons for living inventory revealed that females have a greater fear of death and injury whereas males have a greater fear of social disapproval over having suicidal thoughts. This may account for the greater rate of suicide completing among males. Fear of social disapproval, more anger and impulsivity, and less help-seeking behavior among males are offered as potential variables to explain the observed gender differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2026

Internet-based acceptance and commitment therapy (iACT) improves professional psychological help-seeking attitudes: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Professional psychological help-seeking attitudes are crucial for addressing mental health challenges, yet the mechanisms underlying their improvement through internet-based interventions remain poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled trial aimed to (1) evaluate the efficacy of Internet-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (iACT) in enhancing professional help-seeking attitudes, and (2) elucidate the longitudinal mediating roles of psychological rigidity and self-stigma. METHODS: A total of 91 male participants (Mean Age&#xa0;=&#xa0;21.09) were randomly assigned to either a 12-day iACT intervention group (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;46) using a self-developed mobile application or a waitlist control group (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;45). Psychological flexibility, rigidity, self-stigma, and help-seeking attitudes were measured at four time points: baseline, mid-intervention (Day 6), post-intervention (Day 12), and 1-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and latent growth modeling. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis revealed the iACT group showed greater improvements in help-seeking attitudes than controls (F (3,87)&#xa0;=&#xa0;5.95, p&#xa0;<&#xa0;0.001), with medium-to-large between-group effects at post-test for reducing psychological rigidity (d&#xa0;=&#xa0;-0.77, 95% CI [-1.19, -0.34]) and self-stigma (d&#xa0;=&#xa0;-0.88, 95% CI [-1.31, -0.45]). Latent growth modeling revealed a sequential mediation effect: the iACT intervention reduced psychological rigidity (&#x3b2;&#xa0;=&#xa0;-0.53, SE&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.12), which in turn reduced self-stigma (&#x3b2;&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.61, SE&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.09) and improved help-seeking attitudes (&#x3b2;&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.47, SE&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.08). CONCLUSION: This study provides the first evidence that a self-guided iACT mobile intervention can effectively enhance professional help-seeking attitudes by reducing psychological rigidity, which in turn alleviates self-stigma. The developed app offers a scalable solution to overcoming stigma-related barriers to mental health care.

Humans↗
PubMed1992

Hypochondriasis and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Hypochondriasis and OCD differ conceptually in the degree to which the patient's disease concerns are experienced as an intrusive mental event or a reasonable psychological response to a realistic health threat, in the degree to which the ideation is resisted, and in the presence of somatic sensations and medical help-seeking. There are, however, some similarities between the conditions, including the development of excessive, stereotyped, repetitive behaviors in an attempt to allay their anxiety. Empirical data on the degree of overlap between the conditions are too limited to permit definitive conclusions. The little that we do know, however, suggests that (1) the prevalence of OCD in hypochondriasis is probably elevated, but not extraordinarily so; (2) the prevalence of hypochondriasis in OCD is unknown; (3) fears about disease, illness, and injury are one of the more common forms of obsessions seen in OCD; and (4) there are several ill-defined and largely unexplored conditions, such as disease phobias, which appear to be very similar to both OCD and hypochondriasis. Clinical experience suggests that there may be a subgroup of hypochondriacal patients who are closer to the anxiety disorders in general and to OCD in particular. This subgroup might respond to the newer, antiobsessional, serotonin reuptake blocking agents.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Help-seeking mothers and their children.

Forty-three mothers sought help with management of childhood behaviors. Presenting complaints in half or more of the families included stubbornness, talking back to parents, disobedience and other traits indicative of parent-child interaction difficulties. Pretreatment behavioral observations revealed that mothers shared common characteristics of being low in positive warmth and high in negative and oppositional responses. The children were observed to share common traits of little independent play, frequent frustration, and either ignored their mothers or were verbally and physically oppositional. Behavioral counselling and monitored rehearsal served to reverse many of the behaviors. Almost all mothers reported reduction in problem behaviors. Mothers varied widely in attributing usefulness to different program components.

Attitude↗
PubMed1992

The role of significant life events in discriminating help-seeking among illicit drug users.

This paper examines the role of significant life events in distinguishing two samples of illicit drug users: 120 help-seekers (the "agency group") and 120 not seeking help (the "non-agency group"). We examined 10 life areas clustered around the general categories of "substance use," "social functioning," and "emotional and interpersonal functioning." A range of objective and self-reported information was collected regarding each life area covering the 12 months prior to interview. Analysis revealed that the agency group experienced a greater number of negatively perceived drug-related life events than the non-agency group. These life events were also more likely to have occurred in recent months, prompting reported "concern" and "need for help" among the agency group. Additionally, length of use of current primary drug was seen to be a contributory variable in distinguishing between the groups.

Adult↗