Support, Depressive Symptoms, and the Stigma towards Seeking Mental Health Help

Abstract

Although many individuals are affected by psychological disorders, few will seek professional help. Cultural perceptions might complicate this, as emotional suppression and shame of mental illness predominate in some cultures. This online study investigated factors contributing to the stigma of seeking help among Asian (n=81) and Euro-Caucasian (n=472) students. Depressive symptoms mediated relations between social support and self-stigma for seeking help for mental health problems, as well as for academic problems. The role of depression in the relation between social support and other-stigma of seeking mental health and academic help differed by cultural group, in that the relation between depressive symptoms and stigma was more pronounced among Asians, suggesting that targeted efforts may need to be directed at specific populations.