Social and psychological correlates of help-seeking behavior among urban adults.

Drawing from a longitudinal survey of 1,106 urban adults aged 20 to 70, the present study investigated whether persons who sought help from informal and/or formal support systems for major troublesome life changes were distinguishable from those who handled problems without assistance in terms of demographic background, personal resources, social networks, or psychological barriers to help-seeking. Generally, nonseekers who felt self-reliant and respondents who sought assistance from informal associates exclusively seemed well prepared to manage bothersome transitions, crises, or role-related strains. Nonseekers who were reluctant to ask for assistance as well as help-seekers who only contacted professionals were comparatively more at risk.