Marilyn F Downs1, Daniel Eisenberg. 1. Counseling and Mental Health Service, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA. marilyn.downs@tufts.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Many suicidal college students do not receive mental health treatment, and the reasons for this are not fully understood. This study examines how attitudes, beliefs, and social network factors relate to help seeking among suicidal students. PARTICIPANTS: A random sample of 8,487 undergraduate and graduate students from 15 US universities participated. METHODS: A Web-based survey administered in spring 2009 examined correlates of mental health service utilization among students reporting serious thoughts of suicide in the previous year (n = 543). RESULTS: Correlates of treatment use included perceived need, beliefs that treatment is effective, contact with service users, lower personal stigma, higher perceived stigma, fewer positive relationships, and sexual minority or Caucasian identity. CONCLUSIONS: Help seeking among suicidal students is associated with a range of personal and social network factors. Campus strategies to enhance help seeking should be tailored to address identified facilitators and barriers to treatment use among target populations.
OBJECTIVES: Many suicidal college students do not receive mental health treatment, and the reasons for this are not fully understood. This study examines how attitudes, beliefs, and social network factors relate to help seeking among suicidal students. PARTICIPANTS: A random sample of 8,487 undergraduate and graduate students from 15 US universities participated. METHODS: A Web-based survey administered in spring 2009 examined correlates of mental health service utilization among students reporting serious thoughts of suicide in the previous year (n = 543). RESULTS: Correlates of treatment use included perceived need, beliefs that treatment is effective, contact with service users, lower personal stigma, higher perceived stigma, fewer positive relationships, and sexual minority or Caucasian identity. CONCLUSIONS: Help seeking among suicidal students is associated with a range of personal and social network factors. Campus strategies to enhance help seeking should be tailored to address identified facilitators and barriers to treatment use among target populations.
Authors: Adam G Horwitz; Taylor McGuire; Danielle R Busby; Daniel Eisenberg; Kai Zheng; Jacqueline Pistorello; Ronald Albucher; William Coryell; Cheryl A King Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2020-04-18 Impact factor: 4.839
Authors: John C Fortney; Geoffrey M Curran; Justin B Hunt; Ann M Cheney; Liya Lu; Marcia Valenstein; Daniel Eisenberg Journal: Gen Hosp Psychiatry Date: 2015-09-30 Impact factor: 3.238