Student Perceptions of Mental Illness and Help Seeking Behaviors (thesis)

Abstract

This study intends to provide a better understanding of help seeking behaviors amongst college students. It focuses on answering the question of what could be possible predictors of help seeking, and what could be driving these relationships beyond perceptions of societal stigma. Through this analysis, I aim to offer a more complete understanding of mental illness help seeking behavior that takes into account what happens before symptoms occur that might affect help seeking actions taken after symptomology is recognized. In order to accomplish this, I first intend to investigate the theoretical framework behind the conceptualization of mental illness in order to provide a new model for help seeking. Help seeking is the first step towards treatment, and therefore perhaps the most important aspect to analyze. I then plan to test this model using survey data from a 2015 survey of college students. I will then use the results of this analysis to suggest possible programming options to promote help seeking on campus. [From Introduction]