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Test of Social Norms Theory on Psychological Help-Seeking Attitudes and Behavior

Haigh, Elizabeth Teresa
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1465053237

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, Psychology.
Mental health concerns are highly prevalent in the college student population, yet only a small percentage of students seek help. Given the negative consequences associated with untreated mental health problems, it is essential to identify effective interventions to increase psychological help-seeking. This study investigated the efficacy of a brief social norms intervention (SNI) on changing students’ help-seeking attitudes and behavior by comparing a social norms approach to a more standard provision of campus psychological resources information intervention (PRI) and a no-intervention control (NIC) group. One hundred fifty-six college students were randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: SNI, PRI and NIC. Participants’ help-seeking attitudes were assessed pre-intervention, post-intervention and 2-weeks post-intervention using the Beliefs About Psychological Services Scale (BAPS; Ægisdo'ttir & Gerstein, 2009). Between subjects ANOVAs showed main effects for condition immediately post- intervention, p < .01, and at 2-weeks post-intervention, p < .01. At post-intervention and at 2-week follow-up, participants in the SNI and in the PRI conditions showed more positive attitudes toward help seeking as compared to participants in the NIC condition but did not differ from each other. Results indicated the SNI and PRI were both effective in improving help-seeking attitudes. Future research should focus on identifying which normative beliefs should be targeted within a social norms approach to maximize help- seeking attitudes and behavior.
Susan Kenford, Ph.D. (Advisor)
47 p.
Mental Health; Psychology
help seeking; social norms theory; social norms intervention; college students; college student population

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Haigh, E. T. (2016). Test of Social Norms Theory on Psychological Help-Seeking Attitudes and Behavior [Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1465053237

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Haigh, Elizabeth. Test of Social Norms Theory on Psychological Help-Seeking Attitudes and Behavior. 2016. Xavier University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1465053237.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Haigh, Elizabeth. "Test of Social Norms Theory on Psychological Help-Seeking Attitudes and Behavior." Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1465053237

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

xavier1465053237
335
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Xavier University Psychology and OhioLINK.