Willingness to seek counselling, and factors that facilitate and inhibit the seeking of counselling in Indonesian undergraduate students

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper describes a study designed to investigate Indonesian undergraduates’ attitudes to counselling. It focuses on the results derived from data analyses of a questionnaire measuring the level of willingness to seek counselling, factors inhibiting and facilitating the seeking of counselling in Indonesian students. The exploration was differentiated into professional counselling outside the university and the university counselling services. The self-administered questionnaire was distributed among 1,279 students. The results indicated that the level of willingness to seek counselling was low. The use of social networks was the most important discouraging factor. Wide dissemination of information about counselling services, efforts to enhance confidentiality in counselling and counsellors’ understanding of students’ world and ways of thinking were strongly suggested to encourage students to seek counselling.