ERIC Number: EJ1374298
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Jun
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1053-1890
EISSN: EISSN-1573-3319
Available Date: N/A
The Influence of Stigma and Trust in Young People Seeking Support for Their Own or a Friend's Symptoms: The Role of Threat Appraisals
Child & Youth Care Forum, v52 n3 p559-581 Jun 2023
Background: Stigma and trust influence how adolescents seek support for mental illness, though it is unclear how these influence their decisions to approach a range of potential sources of support. Moreover, even less is known about the ways in which these issues are related when a friend discloses symptoms of mental illness. Objective: The study's aims were to understand the role of stigma, trust, and threat appraisals in adolescents' support seeking when exposed to their own, or to a friend's, symptoms of mental illness. Method: A vignette-based study comparing reports of support (friends, parents, teachers, professionals, and online) was completed with reference to either (i) experiencing symptoms of mental illness or (ii) having a friend disclose these types of symptoms. Two hundred and fifty adolescents (M = 12.75 years) answered questions pertaining to stigma (public and self), trust levels, threat appraisals, and support seeking. Results: When dealing with their own symptoms, threat accounted for 4.8 and 2.5% of the variance when seeking support from parents and professionals, respectively. Self-stigma accounted for 2.4% of variance when seeking support from parents and 0.8% of variance when seeking support from professionals. Trust moderated the association between threat and the use of online support. When responding to a friend's disclosure, higher levels of public-stigma were associated with lower support seeking from friends, parents, and professionals. Conclusions: This study showed a distinction in how adolescents deal with their own or a friend's symptoms of mental illness, and what resources they choose to ask for support from. Self-stigma, threat, and trust levels were particularly relevant when experiencing their own symptoms, while dealing with a friend's disclosure was related to levels of public-stigma.
Descriptors: Social Bias, Trust (Psychology), Adolescents, Mental Disorders, Vignettes, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Peer Relationship, Self Disclosure (Individuals), Risk, Help Seeking, Parent Role, Allied Health Personnel
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A