Breaking the Silence: Exploring the Mental Health Stigma and Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help among College Students

Abstract

In recent years, the stigma surrounding mental health has gained significant attention, yet stigma remains a formidable barrier to seeking professional psychological help, particularly among college students. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the role of mental health stigma in influencing attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help among college students. The research utilized a cross-sectional design with a retrospective approach, involving 100 college students aged between 18 to 25 years, encompassing both genders, selected through convenience sampling. The instruments employed in the study included a socio-demographic sheet, the Revised - Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form (ATSPPH-SF), Perceived Public Stigma, and Personal Stigma Scale. Descriptive analysis, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and Stepwise Regression Analysis was used for the analysis. The findings of the study revealed that male students exhibited higher scores on Perceived Stigma and Personal Stigma compared to female students, while female students demonstrated greater scores on Attitude towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help in contrast to male students. Moreover, both Perceived Stigma and Personal Stigma were significantly negatively correlated with Attitude towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help. Furthermore, Perceived Stigma and Personal Stigma were significantly positively associated with each other. Additionally, Personal Stigma, rather than Perceived Stigma, significantly negatively predicted Attitudes towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help, with personal stigma accounting for 26% of the variance in attitudes among college students. Mental health stigma emerged as a substantial barrier to seeking psychological help. The findings underscore the critical need for targeted interventions aimed at destigmatizing mental health issues and promoting help-seeking behaviours among college students.