Beliefs On Mental Illness, Social Support, Mental Toughness, Self-Stigma and Attitude Towards Seeking Help among Adults

Koyena Saha, Sarah Saju Stephen

Attitude Towards Seeking Psychological Help, Beliefs about Mental Illness, Mental Toughness, Self-Stigma, Social Support

Attitude towards seeking psychological help is very complex and can be influenced by various factors. The aim of the study was to understand the influence of Social Support, Beliefs Related to Mental Illness, Mental Toughness, Self-Stigma of Help-Seeking on the Attitude Towards Seeking Psychological Help. The data was collected from 173 adults from across India. The scales used in the present study were Health Beliefs about Mental Illness Instrument (Saleeby, 2000), Social Support Questions- 6 (Sarason et. al., 1987), Mental Toughness Questionnaire- 10 (Dagnell et. al., 2019), Self Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (Vogel et. al., 2006) and Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale Short Form- 10 (Fischer & Farina, 1995). The result showed a significant negative correlation between Mental Toughness and Beliefs about Mental Illness, Mental Toughness and Self-Stigma and Attitude Towards Seeking Psychological Help and Self-Stigma and a significant positive correlation between Self-Stigma and Beliefs about Mental Illness and Attitude Towards Seeking Psychological Help and Social Support. Additionally, it was found that Self-Stigma is a significant predictor of Attitude Towards Seeking Psychological Help but it did not show any significant difference across the age ranges (18 to 25, 26 to 44, & 45 to 60). The results of the present study can be implied in developing intervention for reducing self-stigma and beliefs about mental illness and enhancing social support and mental toughness to increase the attitude of seeking help.

https://doi.org/10.31871/WJRR.20.4.4