A comparison of influences on attitudes towards mental health service use in an African-American and White community.

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes toward mental health service (MHS) use within a sample of African-American and White adults (N = 739) and to identify correlates associated with those expressed attitudes. African-Americans (n = 132) and Whites (n = 607) were interviewed using the Louisville Metropolitan Survey that included the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale. Findings from this study indicated that responses regarding seeking mental health services were positively correlated with educational attainment and gender In addition, further findings also suggested that while race was significantly associated with attitudes toward seeking mental health services, it was also associated with prior familiarity with mental health services African-Americans reported both less willingness to seek mental health services and less familiarity with mental health services. The unexpected finding of the association between familiarity and attitudes toward mental health services use has value in furthering scientific inquiry. Investigation into the role of familiarity with mental health services and the decision-making process leading to mental health services use in diverse populations holds potential.