Attitudes Toward Attitudes Toward Psychological Help-SeekingPsychological Help-Seeking

Examining the Influence of Examining the Influence of Gender, Locus of Control and Gender, Locus of Control and

Past ExperiencePast Experience

Elycia A Minot

Albright College

Do Gender, Locus of Control and Do Gender, Locus of Control and

Experience with Mental Health Services Experience with Mental Health Services influence an individual’s influence an individual’s

Attitude Toward Psychological Help-Attitude Toward Psychological Help-Seeking?Seeking?

Research QuestionResearch Question

ProblemProblem

Attitude toward help seeking/therapy may Attitude toward help seeking/therapy may influence whether a person seeks helpinfluence whether a person seeks help

If they don’t seek help:If they don’t seek help: Mental illness goes untreatedMental illness goes untreated Handling difficult problems w/o help can Handling difficult problems w/o help can

lead to high stresslead to high stress

Benefits of this ResearchBenefits of this Research Understand underlying factors that Understand underlying factors that

influence attitude toward therapyinfluence attitude toward therapy

MHS help individuals, families, couples, addictsMHS help individuals, families, couples, addicts

Need to find ways to: Need to find ways to: Make MHS user-friendlyMake MHS user-friendly Improve evaluation processesImprove evaluation processes Improve personal treatment plansImprove personal treatment plans

Previous Research IdeasPrevious Research Ideas Societal StigmaSocietal Stigma

Society characterizes the mentally ill as a problem in Society characterizes the mentally ill as a problem in societysociety

For fear of being stigmatized; people won’t seek helpFor fear of being stigmatized; people won’t seek help

GenderGender Overall men have a more negative ATSPPHOverall men have a more negative ATSPPH

RelationshipRelationship between between Traditional male norms and attitudeTraditional male norms and attitude Gender role conflict and behaviorGender role conflict and behavior

Locus of controlLocus of control• Internal or ExternalInternal or External

Independent VariablesIndependent Variables

GenderGender Male or FemaleMale or Female

Locus of ControlLocus of Control Internal or External Internal or External

Experience Experience Mental Health ServicesMental Health Services

• Self or known otherSelf or known other• Sought help?Sought help?• Was it helpful?Was it helpful?

Attitude toward Psychological Help-Attitude toward Psychological Help-seekingseeking

Whether an individual sees seeking Whether an individual sees seeking psychological help as positive or negative psychological help as positive or negative

Whether they see MHS as a possible Whether they see MHS as a possible

solution for life problems solution for life problems

Dependent Variable

MethodMethod

MaterialsRotter’s Locus of Control Scale (short version)Attitudes Toward seeking Professional Psychological Help ScaleFour questions about experience

Participants 91 total participants82 usable surveysOf usable surveys- 22 male- 60 femaleBetween 19 and 69 years old

Procedures

Online Survey

Questionnaire design- 46 questions

HypothesisHypothesis

Men will have a more negative attitude Men will have a more negative attitude toward help seeking than women toward help seeking than women

External LOC will predict a more negative External LOC will predict a more negative view of mental health seeking view of mental health seeking

Internal LOC will predict a more positive Internal LOC will predict a more positive view of mental health seeking. view of mental health seeking.

Past experience with mental health Past experience with mental health services will have an effect on attitude services will have an effect on attitude toward seeking professional psychological toward seeking professional psychological helphelp

ResultsResults

Two-factor ANOVA used to analyze the Two-factor ANOVA used to analyze the effect of gender and LOC on a attitude effect of gender and LOC on a attitude

Chi-Square analysis tests used to examine Chi-Square analysis tests used to examine relationship between gender and prior relationship between gender and prior experienceexperience

Chi-Square analysis tests used to examine Chi-Square analysis tests used to examine relationship between LOC and prior relationship between LOC and prior experienceexperience

•An effect An effect approaching approaching significance significance between gender between gender and attitude.and attitude.

•No significant No significant effect was effect was found between found between LOC and LOC and attitudeattitude

An approaching significance effect was found between gender and past experience with mental health services

No significant effect was found between gender and whether the participant believed that their experience was helpful

No significant effect was found for LOC and past experience with mental health services

No significant effect was found for LOC and whether the participant believed that their experience was helpful

Implications of the Current StudyImplications of the Current Study

Gender is stronger predictor for Gender is stronger predictor for both attitude and past experienceboth attitude and past experience

LOC and past experience results LOC and past experience results contrary to hypothesis and contrary to hypothesis and previous researchprevious research

Previous Research FindingsPrevious Research Findings Leong & Zachar (1999) Leong & Zachar (1999)

females had more positive attitude toward females had more positive attitude toward help seeking than maleshelp seeking than males

Komiya, Good & Sherrod, (2000) Komiya, Good & Sherrod, (2000) females had more positive attitude toward females had more positive attitude toward

help seeking than maleshelp seeking than males Males less emotionally openMales less emotionally open

Smith, Tran, & Thompson, (2008)Smith, Tran, & Thompson, (2008) Studied men’s attitudes toward help Studied men’s attitudes toward help

seekingseeking Used the Theory of Planned Behavior. Used the Theory of Planned Behavior.

{Belief {Belief AttitudeAttitudeIntentionIntentionBehavior}Behavior}

Results Results Attitude predicts intention which predicts Attitude predicts intention which predicts

behaviorbehavior

McKelley & Rochlen, (2010) McKelley & Rochlen, (2010) Wisch, Mahalik, Hayes, & Nutt Wisch, Mahalik, Hayes, & Nutt Berger, Levant, McMillan, Kelleher & Sellers, (2005) Berger, Levant, McMillan, Kelleher & Sellers, (2005)

• Discuss findings that support men’s lower rates of Discuss findings that support men’s lower rates of help-seeking behavior. help-seeking behavior.

• Examined personality traits among men that may Examined personality traits among men that may contribute to negative attitudes toward help-contribute to negative attitudes toward help-seeking.seeking.

Conformity to traditional male norms (expected Conformity to traditional male norms (expected behavior)behavior)

Gender Role Conflict (patterns of behavior)Gender Role Conflict (patterns of behavior)

Results Results were mixed among these studies, however all found were mixed among these studies, however all found

lower rates among help seeking behavior among males lower rates among help seeking behavior among males and a relationship b/t that behavior and TMN’s & GRCand a relationship b/t that behavior and TMN’s & GRC

Fischer & Turner (1970) & Calhoun, Dawes, & Lewis, Fischer & Turner (1970) & Calhoun, Dawes, & Lewis, (1972) (1972)

Examined relationship b/t attitude toward help-seeking and locus of Examined relationship b/t attitude toward help-seeking and locus of control. control.

Studied men & women with varying ages, backgrounds and education Studied men & women with varying ages, backgrounds and education were were

Internal LOC predicts more positive attitude, intention & behavior Internal LOC predicts more positive attitude, intention & behavior

Cusack, Deane, Wilson, & Ciarrochi, (2006) Cusack, Deane, Wilson, & Ciarrochi, (2006) Men in therapyMen in therapy Relationship of bond, attitude and intentionRelationship of bond, attitude and intention stronger the bond, the more likely the person is to seek help in stronger the bond, the more likely the person is to seek help in

the future the future

DiscussionDiscussion Current study may not have found Current study may not have found

significant evidence that men have more significant evidence that men have more negative attitudes, however previous negative attitudes, however previous research is strong.research is strong.

Current study results were contrary to Current study results were contrary to previous research on relationship between previous research on relationship between LOC and attitudeLOC and attitude

Current study did not analyze relationship Current study did not analyze relationship between past experience & attitude.between past experience & attitude.

LimitationsLimitations Number of participantsNumber of participants Percentage of male/female participantsPercentage of male/female participants

More women chose to take surveyMore women chose to take survey Short version of Rotter’s LOC scale usedShort version of Rotter’s LOC scale used

Original version is 29 questionsOriginal version is 29 questions Used 13 questionsUsed 13 questions

Majority of participants college studentsMajority of participants college students Age, income and education levelAge, income and education level Type of mental health services soughtType of mental health services sought

Future ResearchFuture Research

More research on gender and sub-factors that More research on gender and sub-factors that influence attitudeinfluence attitude Help men overcome traditionally negative views about Help men overcome traditionally negative views about

asking for helpasking for help More research on Locus of control More research on Locus of control

In relation to attitude and help seeking behaviorIn relation to attitude and help seeking behavior Help clients/potential clients become empoweredHelp clients/potential clients become empowered

Counselors and psychotherapists need help in Counselors and psychotherapists need help in mediating negative attitudes toward help mediating negative attitudes toward help seeking. seeking.

Other Influencing Other Influencing Factors for future ResearchFactors for future Research

Fear of StigmaFear of Stigma AgeAge Income levelIncome level Education levelEducation level CultureCulture ReligionReligion

Seeking help for common Seeking help for common societal stresses is important:societal stresses is important:

Stress managementStress management Depression caused by life eventsDepression caused by life events AddictionAddiction Mental illnessMental illness

Professional Psychological help can greatly Professional Psychological help can greatly improve these conditions or disordersimprove these conditions or disorders