ERIC Number: EJ1107028
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0306-9885
EISSN: N/A
How Psychological Resources Mediate and Perceived Social Support Moderates the Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Help-Seeking Intentions in College Students
Kenny, Rachel; Dooley, Barbara; Fitzgerald, Amanda
British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, v44 n4 p402-413 2016
There is a high prevalence of depression among college students, which is linked to lower levels of help-seeking intentions. However, there has been a lack of research examining variables that may help explain this relationship. The present study aimed to address this gap by examining whether psychological resources (optimism and self-esteem) mediate the relationship between depressive symptoms and help-seeking intentions, and whether this relationship is moderated by perceived social support. Participants were 8121 college students (66% female) aged 17-25 years (M = 20.42, SD = 1.90), who completed the My World Survey Post-Second Level, a national survey on youth mental health. Linear regression analysis confirmed that depressive symptoms predicted lower informal help-seeking intentions. Moderated mediation indicated that social support moderated the direct relationship between depressive symptoms and informal help-seeking intentions and that optimism and self-esteem mediated this relationship, when gender was controlled for. Findings indicate that social support and psychological resources help further our understanding of the relationship between depressive symptoms and help-seeking in young people. Campaigns promoting help-seeking in college students should focus on the beneficial role of social support and on fostering optimism and self-esteem as facilitators of help-seeking intentions.
Descriptors: Depression (Psychology), Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Help Seeking, Regression (Statistics), Correlation, National Surveys, Mental Health, Prediction, Social Support Groups, Self Esteem, Positive Attitudes, Gender Differences, College Students, Role, Incidence, Surveys, Intention, Foreign Countries, Questionnaires, Student Attitudes
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ireland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A