Disordered Eating Cognitions as Predictors of Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Services

The present study investigated whether young adults’ disordered eating cognitions predicted attitudes toward seeking professional psychological services. Two hundred and eighty three 18- to 24-year-old undergraduate students completed a survey package that included measures of disordered eating cognitions and help-seeking attitudes. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that greater disordered eating cognitions uniquely predicted lower degrees of favorable help-seeking attitudes overall, lower stigma tolerance with respect to seeking professional psychological services, lower interpersonal openness in the context of help-seeking, and lower confidence in psychological professionals. The findings suggest that outreach interventions should, among other things, focus on stigma associated with help-seeking and disordered eating problems.     

Mental Health Stigma,Self-Concealment,and Help-Seeking Attitudes among Asian American and European American College Students with No Help-Seeking Experience

The present study examined whether mental health stigma (i.e., negative attitudes toward people with a psychological disorder) and self-concealment are unique predictors of help-seeking attitudes in Asian American and European American college students with no history of seeking professional psychological services. The Asian American group had less favorable help-seeking attitudes overall, lower levels of stigma tolerance and interpersonal openness, greater mental health stigma, and greater self-concealment than the European American group. Mental health stigma and self-concealment were unique predictors of help-seeking attitudes overall in both groups. However, mental health stigma was not a unique predictor of recognition of need for psychotherapeutic help and confidence in mental health practitioners, the components of help-seeking attitudes theorized to be most associated with actual help-seeking behavior. Self-concealment was a unique predictor of confidence in mental health practitioners in the Asian American group, but not in the European American group.     

Help-Seeking Experiences and Attitudes among African American, Asian American, and European American College Students

The study examined African American, Asian American, and European American college students’ previous direct and indirect experiences of seeking professional psychological services and related attitudes. Survey data were collected from 254 European American, 182 African American and 82 Asian American college students. Results revealed that fewer African American and Asian American college students had sought professional psychological services, knew someone who had sought psychological services, and knew a close person who was diagnosed with a psychological disorder, relative to European American students. Furthermore, African American and Asian American participants showed less favorable attitudes on a variety of help-seeking attitudes, compared to the European American group.     

The Role of Disordered-Eating Cognitions and Psychological Flexibility on Distress in Asian American and European American College Females in the United States

The present study investigated whether different forms of disordered-eating-related cognitions and psychological flexibility were associated with psychological distress among female Asian American and European American college students in the United States. Disordered-eating-related cognitions examined in the present study included thoughts (a) associated with the fear of gaining weight, (b) on perceived importance of having an ideal weight and shape as a means of being accepted by others, and (c) of perceived self-worth related to self-control over diet and weight levels. Data from 87 Asian American and 231 European American female college students were used for the present analyses. In both groups, all forms of disordered-eating cognitions were positively associated with psychological distress, which was in turn inversely associated with psychological flexibility. In the Asian American group, cognitions on perceived importance of having an ideal body shape and weight to be socially accepted by others and psychological flexibility were uniquely related to psychological distress when controlling for other disordered-eating cognitions (i.e., thoughts related to fear of weight gain, self-worth from feeling in control of eating), age, and Body Mass Index (BMI). In the European American group, when controlling for other study variables, only psychological flexibility uniquely related to psychological distress. Implications of the present findings for counseling practice are discussed.     

Mental Health Help-Seeking Experience and Attitudes in Asian American,Multiracial American,and White American Emerging Adults

In this cross-sectional survey, we examined the direct and indirect mental health help-seeking experiences and relevant psychological factors in Asian American, multiracial American, and White American emerging adults aged 18–25 years old. The study sample consisted of 384 Asian American (249 women, 135 men), 244 multiracial American (172 women, 72 men), and 245 White American (190 women, 55 men) emerging adults, who were recruited from a four-year public university in the state of Hawai?i of the United States (U.S.). Results revealed that Asian American and multiracial American emerging adults were less likely to: (a) have previous experience of seeking professional psychological services: (b) have been prescribed, or are currently taking, a psychotropic medication; (c) know someone close to them who had sought psychological services; or (d) know someone close to them who was diagnosed with a psychological disorder, compared to their White American peers. We also discuss implications of the present findings, limitations of the study, and future directions in this line of research.

     

Counseling and the Internet: Asian American and Asian International College Students' Attitudes Toward Seeking Online Professional Psychological Help

This study examined Asian American and Asian international college students' attitudes toward seeking online professional psychological help as well as traditional face‐to‐face professional psychological help. Results suggest that students had less favorable attitudes toward seeking help online than toward seeking help by traditional face‐to‐face means. Implications for counseling center services for Asian American and Asian international college students are discussed.     

Intersectionality of Ethnicity/Race and Gender in the Phenomenology of African American College Students’ Presenting Problems: a Profile Analysis Using Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling

Multidimensional scaling analyses (MDS) was used to uncover the phenomenology or implicit cognitions underlying presenting problems for which African American male and female students reported seeking college counseling services, in comparison to their European American counterparts. Normative, idiographic, and idiothetic approaches to the measurement of explicit versus implicit dimensions of students’ reports of eight psychological issues (seven disorders and medication use) for which they sought counseling in two timeframes (historical and current) were conducted by ethnicity/race and gender. It was hypothesized that idiographic and idiothetic approaches, which involved profile analyses using nonmetric MDS, would be more likely to reveal intersectionality between ethnicity/race and gender than the normative approach. Results supported the hypothesis of the greater sensitivity of the two individual difference models. Nonmetric MDS analyses revealed significant differences across profiles, with African American males underutilizing mental health services but displaying significant psychological distress; and African American females receiving significantly more pharmacotherapy for depression. Implications for college mental health services for African Americans are discussed.     

Chinese Students’ Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help

In this study 1,453 Chinese high school and college students’ attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help and factors contributing to attitude differences were examined. Results revealed that Chinese students possessed generally positive attitudes and their attitudes were significantly associated with gender, prior counseling contact and prior knowledge about counseling and psychology. Previous help-seeking behavior for a major problem was predictive of respondent attitudes. Students with a broad range of help-seeking preferences had more positive attitudes than students with a narrower range. Students who sought help from parents or teachers perceived counseling more positively than students not seeking such help; this result was more significant for high school students. College students’ attitudes differed more in the area of whether or not to seek help. In addition, family structure was related to two dimensions of attitudes toward help seeking—interpersonal openness and stigma tolerance, but not to attitudes toward seeking psychological help.     

Psychological distress and help seeking amongst higher education students: findings from a mixed method study of undergraduate nursing/midwifery and teacher education students in Ireland

Psychological distress as experienced by higher education students is of major concern because of its potential to adversely impact academic performance, retention, mental health and lifestyle. This paper reports a mixed method investigation of student self-reported psychological distress and help-seeking behaviour. The sample comprised all students (n?=?1557) registered on undergraduate nursing/midwifery and teacher education programmes at an Irish university. Participants (n?=?1112) completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) to determine their self-reported psychological distress and the Lifestyle Behaviour Questionnaire to examine sources of distress, lifestyle and demographic variables. Individual interviews (n?=?59) explored student experiences of psychological distress and their help-seeking behaviours. Forty two percent of respondents exceeded the GHQ threshold ≥5, which signifies risk of mental or physical health problems. Sources of distress included academic, financial and psychosocial stressors. Regression analysis identified that demographic, programmatic and lifestyle variables predicted GHQ scores. Despite the distress experienced, students were reluctant users of support services. Many actively avoided seeking help. These findings raise serious concerns about the extent of psychological distress among this population. They also alert education providers to be vigilant for student psychological distress and to provide effective interventions, cognisant of the impact of stigma on help seeking.     

Psychological Correlates of Help Seeking for Eating‐Disorder Symptoms in Female College Students

This study investigated the psychological correlates of treatment seeking for eating disorders in female college students. Results indicated that 56% of the 106 participants with eating‐disorder symptomatology did not believe their behaviors warranted therapy. Women with eating‐disorder symptoms who did not believe their behaviors warranted therapy exhibited higher levels of immature defenses and lower endorsement of sociocultural norms concerning attractiveness than did women who believed treatment was needed. These findings hold implications for the prevention and treatment of college women's disordered eating.     

Length of Residence,Cultural Adjustment Difficulties,and Psychological Distress Symptoms in Asian and Latin American International College Students

The authors examined cultural adjustment and psychological distress issues in 190 Asian and Latin American international college students. Findings revealed that Latin American students reported higher levels of psychological distress than did their Asian peers. Moreover, length of residence in the U.S. was negatively associated with psychological distress symptoms, and acculturative distress and intercultural competence concerns were positively related to psychological distress in both groups. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Examining Victimization and Psychological Distress in Transgender College Students

Treatment‐seeking and non‐treatment‐seeking transgender college students were examined with regard to victimization and psychological distress. Findings showed that transgender college students had elevated rates of distress as compared with college students who identified as men or women. Results indicated that treatment‐seeking and non‐treatment‐seeking transgender college students did not significantly differ with regard to psychological distress or experiences of victimization, with the exception of rates of suicidal ideation.     

Mutuality,Self-Silencing,and Disordered Eating in College Women

Abstract

The current study examined patterns of association among mutuality, self-silencing, and disordered eating in an ethnically diverse sample of college women (N = 149). Partner mutuality and overall self-silencing were negatively correlated and together were associated with six disordered eating indices. All four self-silencing subscales were associated with disordered eating patterns. For example, external self-perception was associated with drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, and interoceptive awareness. Implications of the findings for college counselors are discussed.     

Relationships Among Self-Concealment,Mindfulness and Negative Psychological Outcomes in Asian American and European American College Students

Research on Asian Americans and their psychological adjustment is limited. Consisting of two cross-sectional studies, the present investigation examined the relationships among self-concealment, mindfulness, emotional distress in stressful interpersonal situations, and general psychological ill-health in Asian American college students, and in comparison with European American counterparts. In the Asian Americans, self-concealment was found to be positively related to general psychological ill-health and negatively related to mindfulness. In both ethnic groups, mindfulness was found to be negatively related to general psychological ill-health. Findings suggest that, as seen with European American counterparts, both self-concealment and mindfulness may be important concepts in understanding the psychological adjustments of Asian American college students.     

Connectedness to Campus and Likelihood of Help-Seeking for Suicidality among College Women

The goal of the present study was to examine the link between connectedness to campus and the likelihood of help-seeking from a mental health professional/school counselor for thoughts of suicide among college women. An online survey was administered to college students to assess perceived likelihood of seeking help, feelings of connectedness to campus, sense of togetherness with peers, and presence of a supportive group of friends on campus. Findings indicated that feeling connected to campus was positively associated with perceived likelihood of help-seeking for suicidal ideation. Furthermore, this association was stronger among participants reporting either a sense of togetherness with peers or a supportive group of friends. Efforts to increase students’ sense of connection to the larger campus community and build peer relationships may promote help-seeking for suicidal ideation among college women.     

Eating Concerns in College Women Across Sexual Orientation Identities

This study found that treatment‐seeking sexual minority college women evidenced serious eating concerns. Regardless of sexual orientation and compared with those with low levels of eating concerns, women with high levels of eating concerns evidenced increased depression, increased generalized anxiety, and a greater likelihood of experiencing trauma. Regardless of eating concerns severity, sexual minority women evidenced greater depression, generalized anxiety, and likelihood of trauma than did heterosexual women, with bisexual women reporting the highest concerns.     

Predictors of Help‐Seeking Attitudes in College Student Service Members and Veterans

We explored predictors of attitudes toward psychological help seeking among 103 student service members and veterans (SSM/V). Results showed that self‐stigma, public stigma, and gender significantly predicted attitudes toward psychological help seeking. A test of mediation revealed that self‐stigma fully mediated the relationship between public stigma and attitudes toward psychological help seeking. Implications for college counseling professionals who serve SSM/V are discussed.     

Barriers to self-compassion for female survivors of childhood maltreatment: The roles of fear of self-compassion and psychological inflexibility

Preliminary evidence has demonstrated the benefits of targeting self-compassion in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, survivors of childhood maltreatment may present with unique challenges that compromise the effectiveness of these and other PTSD treatments. Specifically, childhood maltreatment victims often exhibit a marked fear and active resistance of self-kindness and warmth (i.e., fear of self-compassion). Victims may also attempt to control distressing internal experiences in a way that hinders engagement in value-based actions (i.e., psychological inflexibility). Research suggests that psychological inflexibility exacerbates the negative effects of fear of self-compassion. The present study expanded on previous research by examining the relations among childhood maltreatment, fear of self-compassion, psychological inflexibility, and PTSD symptom severity in 288 college women. As expected, moderate to severe levels of childhood maltreatment were associated with greater fear of self-compassion, psychological inflexibility, and PTSD symptom severity compared to minimal or no childhood maltreatment. A mediation analysis showed that childhood maltreatment had a significant indirect effect on PTSD symptom severity via fear of self-compassion, although a conditional process analysis did not support psychological inflexibility as a moderator of this indirect effect. A post hoc multiple mediator analysis showed a significant indirect effect of childhood maltreatment on PTSD symptom severity via psychological inflexibility, but not fear of self-compassion. These findings highlight the importance of addressing fear of self-compassion and psychological inflexibility as barriers to treatment for female survivors of childhood maltreatment.     

College Students' Reported Financial Stress and Its Relationship to Psychological Distress

This study examined how financial stress was related to psychological distress as measured by the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms–62 (Locke et al., 2011). Data were collected from students seeking psychological services at a large midwestern university. Results indicated that higher levels of financial stress are associated with greater family distress, academic distress, overall distress, and lower grade point average. Group differences are presented and discussed. Suggestions for addressing financial stress in counseling are provided.     

College Students’ Relationship Between Trauma and Disordered Eating

Among college students, a correlation exists between trauma exposure and eating disorders. Although disordered eating behaviors are more prevalent than eating disorders, the relationship between different types of trauma exposure and disordered eating is unknown. The current study explored this relationship. One hundred two participants completed questionnaires on disordered eating and trauma exposure. Results showed that (a) sexual abuse was a significant predictor of concerns regarding food and weight gain (p < .05) and (b) other form of trauma (e.g., natural disaster) was a significant predictor of difficulties in individuals’ relationship with food (p < .05). Clinical implications, especially those related to trauma assessment and disordered eating behaviors, are discussed. The importance of examining the impact of nonsexual trauma is described, and the clinical utility of breaking eating pathology down into specific abnormal attitudes and behaviors is highlighted.