Applying behavior change theory to technology promoting veteran mental health care seeking.
Abstract
Despite the availability of effective mental health interventions, the vast majority of veterans with a mental disorder underutilize psychological services. Contemporary research has revealed that several factors such as low education, stigma, stoicism, lack of knowledge, and negative beliefs about mental health services are associated with veterans' underutilization of services. In this article, the authors provide an overview of factors that affect symptomatic veterans' decisions about whether to seek mental health services. Second, they describe the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980), a useful model for understanding mental health care seeking that can inform the development of technology-based interventions designed to increase veterans' willingness to seek psychological services. Third, the authors describe the development of Considering Professional Help, a personalized web-based tool developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which has been designed to promote mental health care seeking in veterans with mental health problems.
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The utility of the TPB to explain factors that contribute to decision-making, and how behavior change occurs, is thought to be particularly useful in understanding mental health issues, the help-seeking process, and developing interventions to facilitate mental health behavior change.
“The utility of the TPB to explain factors that contribute to decision-making, and how behavior change occurs, is thought to be particularly useful in understanding mental health issues, the help-seeking process, and developing interventions to facilitate mental health behavior change [28–30].”
From Explaining adults’ mental health help-seeking through the lens of the theory of planned behavior: A scoping review (2022) · cites this paper as [30]
A web-based psychoeducational tool for USA veterans was reported to increase willingness to consider mental health treatment post-intervention.
“Another study that designed a web-based psychoeducational tool for USA veterans reported an increase in willingness to consider mental health treatment post-intervention [30].”
From Explaining adults’ mental health help-seeking through the lens of the theory of planned behavior: A scoping review (2022) · cites this paper as [30]
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- Authors
- Whealin, J. M., Kuhn, E., & Pietrzak, R. H.
- Affiliations
- VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (US)
- VA Palo Alto Health Care System (US)
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System (US)
- Venue
- Psychological Services
- Published
- 2014-11
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 486-494
- ISSN
- 1541-1559 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-148X
- OpenAlex
- W2321499879
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 62
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 4.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Services (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Keywords
- veterans, mental health treatment seeking, help-seeking, theory of planned behavior, technology-based interventions, online intervention, help-seeking barriers, mental health stigma, help-seeking motivation, underutilization of mental health services
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Mental Health Services, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Psychological Theory, United States, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans, Social Stigma
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