The DOI matches its Crossref record; 38 of the 38 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
When and how do young people seek professional help for mental health problems?
Abstract
Despite the high prevalence of mental health problems and disorders that develop in adolescence and early adulthood, young people tend to not seek professional help. Young men and young people from Indigenous and ethnic minority groups tend to be those most reluctant to seek help. Young people are more inclined to seek help for mental health problems if they: have some knowledge about mental health issues and sources of help; feel emotionally competent to express their feelings; and have established and trusted relationships with potential help providers. Young people are less likely to seek help if they: are experiencing suicidal thoughts and depressive symptoms; hold negative attitudes toward seeking help or have had negative past experiences with sources of help; or hold beliefs that they should be able to sort out their own mental health problems on their own. Young people may seek help through talking to their family and friends, with family being more important for younger adolescents, and friends and partners becoming more influential later on. The professionals most likely to act as gatekeepers to mental health services for young people are school counsellors, general practitioners, and youth workers. Increasingly, Internet-based information and interventions are being used to engage young people in the help-seeking process.
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In the citing paper
“Meeting these needs is challenging, as men (particularly younger men) tend not to seek professional help for distress (Gulliver, Griffiths, & Christensen, 2010;Oliver et al., 2005;Rickwood, Deane, & Wilson, 2007).”
From e-TC: Development and pilot testing of a web-based intervention to reduce anxiety and depression in survivors of testicular cancer (2017) · cites this paper as Rickwood, Deane, & Wilson, 2007
In the citing paper
“Isolated evidence from various parts of the health care suggests that help-seeking for mental health problems has increased in many developed countries [17–20, 31, 32].”
From Trends in psychiatric diagnoses, medications and psychological therapies in a large Swedish region: A population-based study (2020) · cites this paper as [18]
In the citing paper
“preference for self-reliance (Rickwood et al., 2007; Rickwood and Braithwaite, 1994; Wilson et al., 2011; Booth et al., 2004)”
From Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents with anxiety disorders: A feasibility study (2018) · cites this paper as Rickwood et al., 2007
In the citing paper
“Subclinical symptoms, dysfunctional cognitive styles, and problematic behaviors which increase vulnerability to later mental health problems usually develop during this period, making childhood and adolescence an ideal time to direct prevention and early intervention programs [10-12].”
From Feasibility and effectiveness of a web-based positive psychology program for youth mental health: Randomized controlled trial (2014) · cites this paper as [12]
Citations
Cites
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Young People’s Help-Seeking for Mental Health Problems
Rickwood, D., Deane, F. P., Wilson, C. J., & Ciarrochi, J. (2005) · Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health · doi:10.5172/jamh.4.3.218 · Cited by 1,619
Self-citationDelivering interventions for depression by using the internet: randomised controlled trial
Christensen, H. (2004) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.37945.566632.ee · Cited by 928
Cultural and contextual influences in mental health help seeking: a focus on ethnic minority youth
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Social-psychological factors affecting help-seeking for emotional problems
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Help seeking for emotional and behavioural problems in children and adolescents
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Gulliver, A., Griffiths, K. M., & Christensen, H. (2010) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/1471-244x-10-113 · Cited by 3,292
Lei, L., Huang, X., Zhang, S., Yang, J., Yang, L., & Xu, M. (2020) · Medical Science Monitor · doi:10.12659/msm.924609 · Cited by 871
Aguirre Velasco, A., Cruz, I. S. S., Billings, J., Jimenez, M., & Rowe, S. (2020) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02659-0 · Cited by 736
Gulliver, A., Griffiths, K. M., & Christensen, H. (2012) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/1471-244x-12-157 · Cited by 611
de Girolamo, G., Dagani, J., Purcell, R., Cocchi, A., & McGorry, P. D. (2012) · Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences · doi:10.1017/s2045796011000746 · Cited by 544
Metadata
- Authors
- Rickwood, D. J., Deane, F. P., & Wilson, C. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Canberra (AU)
- University of Wollongong (AU)
- Venue
- Medical Journal of Australia
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2007-10
- Volume
- 187
- Issue
- S7
- Pages
- S35-9
- ISSN
- 0025-729X (ISSN-L)
- 1326-5377
- OpenAlex
- W2117241873
- Cited by
- 1,195
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 58 · 2025: 77 · 2024: 92 · 2023: 79 · 2022: 85 · 2021: 121 · 2020: 105 · 2019: 90 · 2018: 67 · 2017: 73 · 2016: 59 · 2015: 58 · 2014: 69 · 2013: 34 · 2012: 43
- FWCI
- 2.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- The Medical Journal of Australia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Online (University of Wollongong) (submittedVersion)
- University of Canberra Research Portal (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychology and Mental Health
- Keywords
- help-seeking, youth, adolescent mental health, early adulthood, help-seeking barriers, help-seeking facilitators, help-seeking attitudes, suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, Indigenous youth, ethnic minority youth, family influence, peer influence, school counselors, general practitioners, youth workers, online intervention, access to mental health care
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Mental Disorders, Family Practice, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Mental Health Services, Parents, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Peer Group, Schools, Adolescent Health Services, Internet, Trust
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