The Effects of College Students' Perceptions and Knowledge of Mental Illness and Mental Health Services on Help-Seeking Behavior
Date
2015-12-17
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University of Delaware
Abstract
College presents students with many exciting opportunities to grow socially and academically. Students may choose to enroll in courses that explore topics they’ve never studied, interact with people who are very different from their friends back home, and join new clubs and social groups. While all of these collegiate activities offer invaluable opportunities for enrichment and growth, they also operate within institutions that are, in many cases, unfamiliar and far from home. Students who are unable to adjust to these unfamiliar institutions in a healthy manner are at a greater risk of developing poor mental health or exacerbating an already existing condition.
In addition to the stress of being in an unfamiliar and constantly changing institution, students who have mental health concerns may also experience personal and/or other stigma, which may decrease their ability to cope in a healthy manner or to seek professional help. College students may also be unaware of—or may have a negative perception of—the mental health services that are available to them, which may also decrease the likelihood that they will seek help. This paper seeks to explore students’ perceptions and knowledge and mental health, with an emphasis on co-occurring depression and substance abuse and depression with suicidal ideation.
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Keywords
Sociology, Mental Illness, Mental Health Services