Impacts of Mental Health Stigma On Help Seeking Behavior Among University Students: A Case Study of District Sargodha

Abstract

Stigma on mental health is one of the key factors that inhibit individuals, especially young adults, to access professional psychological support. In this research, the study explores the connection between mental health stigma and help-seeking among university students. The main aim of the study was to investigate the effect of various aspects of the stigma on the attitudes of students towards seeking mental health support. The study used a quantitative research design to address the study objectives. The survey was conducted via a structured questionnaire that was administered to the respondents (university students) by adopting a convenient sampling method. The questionnaire was used to gauge the variables of perceived stigma, internalized stigma and attitudes to seeking help. The Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to perform statistical analysis, which included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and regression analysis to investigate the relationship between the study variables. The research results show that the effect of mental health stigma on help-seeking behavior is negative and important among the students. The more perceived and internalized stigmatization, the less willingness to seek professional psychological help. The findings also indicated that social perceptions and fear of discrimination are significant factors that deter individuals to seek mental health services. Moreover, awareness and mental health literacy were identified to have an effect on the attitudes toward help-seeking. This study concludes that the stigma associated with mental health problems and the lack of awareness about them are the key factors that must be reduced to enhance the behavior of students concerning the help-seeking behavior in the university. The schools, the policy makers and mental health professionals must carry out awareness building, counseling services, and environments that would make students seek professional help when necessary. The study is adding to the existing literature by demonstrating the need to address the issue of stigma in order to achieve a better mental health outcome in young adults.