Cited by 33Mental Health Treatment and AccessAging and Gerontology ResearchPsychology and Mental Health

Older adults’ narratives of seeking mental health treatment: making sense of mental health challenges and “muddling through” to care

Reynolds, Kristin, Medved, Maria, Mackenzie, Corey S., Funk, Laura Megan, Koven, Lesley·2020·Qualitative Health Research

Abstract

Older adults who experience challenges related to mental health are unlikely to seek professional help. The voices of older adults who have navigated through mental health issues and systems of care to arrive at psychological treatment are less well understood. We conducted individual interviews with 15 adults aged 61 to 86 who sought psychological treatment. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using narrative methods. We identified several main storylines that describe the meaning-making and treatment-seeking journeys of older adults: resistance to being labeled with mental health problems (telling stories of resistance, defining mental health issues in mysterious and uncontrollable terms, and experiencing internal role conflict); muddling through the help-seeking process (manifestations of chaos and system-level barriers); and emotional reactions to psychological treatment (hope, fear, and mistrust). Findings add to the literature base in the area of narrative gerontology, and highlight the complex experiences that older adults face when seeking psychological treatment.

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Crossref · 10.1177/1049732320919094

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Authors
Reynolds, K., Medved, M., Mackenzie, C. S., Funk, L. M., & Koven, L.
Affiliations
  • University of Manitoba (CA)
  • American University of Paris (FR)
Corresponding author
Reynolds, Kristin
Venue
Qualitative Health Research
Published
2020-05-26
Volume
30
Issue
10
Pages
1517-1528
ISSN
  • 1049-7323 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-7557
OpenAlex
W3030319415
Cited by
33
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3
FWCI
4.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Qualitative Health Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Doctoral Research Award (K. Reynolds))
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychology and Mental Health
Keywords
older adults, mental health treatment seeking, help-seeking, narrative gerontology, meaning-making, role conflict, help-seeking barriers, psychological intervention, mental health in aging
MeSH terms
Aged, Humans, Mental Health, Mental Health Services, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Narration, Qualitative Research

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