Stigma of mental illness and help-seeking intention in university students
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Aims and method: A cross-sectional study to ascertain levels of personal and perceived public mental illness stigma in a university student population and the association between the respective levels of stigma and help-seeking intention. An adaptation of the Discrimination-Devaluation scale was used. Results: A total of 735 students participated in the study (response rate 77%). There were higher mean perceived public stigma levels than personal stigma levels. Perceived public stigma was not significantly associated with future non-help-seeking intention (odds ratio (OR) = 0.871, P = 0.428). Personal stigma was significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of future help-seeking intention (OR = 1.44, P = 0.043). Being younger than 25, having no history of or treatment for mental illness and having no personal contact with someone with a history of mental illness were all associated with higher personal stigma levels. Clinical implications: This study indicates that personal stigma as distinct from perceived public stigma is a significant barrier to mental health utilisation for a student population and future stigma reduction campaigns could strategically focus on this.
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Greater literacy and diminished stigma are associated with a positive help-seeking intention.
“This pattern is consistent with previous findings of greater literacy and diminished stigma being associated with a positive help-seeking intention46,47”
From Technology-Based Interventions to Improve Help-Seeking for Mental Health Concerns: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [46]
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- Authors
- Lally, J., ó Conghaile, A., Quigley, S., Bainbridge, E., & McDonald, C.
- Affiliations
- King's College London (GB)
- Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Lally, John
- Venue
- The Psychiatrist
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2013-08
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 253-260
- ISSN
- 1758-3209 (ISSN-L)
- 1758-3217
- OpenAlex
- W2110803525
- Cited by
- 143
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 4
- FWCI
- 6.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- The Psychiatrist (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
- Lenus, The Irish Health Repository (Dr Steevens Hospital Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychology and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender Roles and Identity Studies
- Keywords
- mental health stigma, personal stigma, perceived public stigma, help-seeking intentions, university students, stigma reduction
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