Seeking help from a mental health professional: The influence of one's social network

TLDR

The decision to seek psychological help can be influenced by many factors, including having a recommendation from someone or knowing someone who has sought help. The studies examined how these factors relate to intentions to seek mental health services. Two studies with 780 and 746 participants explored the relationship between recommendations, knowing someone who sought help, and help‑seeking intentions. Both studies found that being prompted to seek help and knowing someone who had sought help were associated with more positive expectations, attitudes, and intentions toward mental health services, and among those who actually sought help, about 75 % had a recommendation and 94 % knew someone who had sought help. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abstract

Abstract The decision to seek psychological help may be hindered or facilitated by many factors. Two potential factors that might facilitate help seeking are having a relationship with someone (a) who recommends seeking help or (b) who themselves have sought help. In two studies ( N = 780, N = 746), we explored the relationship between these factors and intentions to seek mental health services. In Study 1, being prompted to seek help and knowing someone who had sought help were both related to positive expectations about mental health services. In Study 2, being prompted to seek help and knowing someone who had sought help were related to more positive attitudes toward help seeking. Also, knowing someone who had sought help was related to the intention to seek help. Of those who sought psychological help, approximately 75% had someone recommend that they seek help and about 94% knew someone who had sought help. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 63: 233–245, 2007.