ERIC Number: ED667763
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 145
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-5346-7950-2
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
The Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors of College Students with Disabilities
Corrine Holliday-Stocking
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Brandeis University, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
College students report high rates of mental health problems. Even as help-seeking behaviors have increased over the years and college mental health services report increased utilization, untreated mental disorders are prevalent among college students. The unmet mental health needs of college students are an important college access and persistence issue, as mental health related reasons can cause students to drop out of school. College students with disabilities have lower persistence and graduation rates compared to students without disabilities. Little research has been conducted specifically on the mental health or help-seeking of college students with disabilities. Prior research on people with disabilities in the U.S. show that people with disabilities report worse mental health than people without disabilities. Mental health help-seeking attitudes and behaviors are important to consider, as they can help institutions meet the needs of students. This dissertation uses the 2015-2020 academic years of The Health Minds Study to understand the mental health needs and help-seeking behaviors of college students with disabilities. This study uses an adapted version of Cramer's help-seeking model and draws from the theories on intersectionality and DisCrit to guide the research and place the findings in a socio-historical context. Specifically, this study aims to answer: 1) the extent to which students with disabilities utilize mental health services, 2) the prevalence of mental health outcomes and if this differs by disability type and number of disabilities, 3) the barriers to using mental health services, 4) if these factors vary by disability type and number of disabilities, and 5) if these factors for help-seeking vary by race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. The results show that students with disabilities do utilize mental health services, report flourishing mental health, and screen positive for negative mental health outcomes. Results also indicate that the mental health campus climate is a significant factor in help-seeking. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: College Students, Students with Disabilities, Mental Health, Mental Health Programs, Student Personnel Services, Help Seeking, Academic Persistence, Student Diversity, Comorbidity, Comparative Testing, Student Behavior
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A