Elsevier

Psychiatry Research

Volume 303, September 2021, 114069
Psychiatry Research

Help-seeking intentions in the U.S. population during the COVID-19 pandemic: Examining the role of COVID-19 financial hardship, suicide risk, and stigma

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114069Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Depression and suicide risk could increase due to COVID-19 financial hardship.

  • Injunctive norm was most strongly associated with help-seeking intention.

  • COVID-19 financial hardship did not influence determinants of intention.

  • Experimental studies should test injunctive norm cues in help-seeking campaigns.

Abstract

The primary goal of this study was to increase understanding of help-seeking intentions in the U.S. population during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine influencing factors such as COVID-19 financial hardship, suicide risk, and stigma in order to contribute to effective theory-based help-seeking and suicide prevention campaigns. In a representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 5,010), this research tested whether COVID-19 financial hardship was associated with higher levels of depression and suicidal ideation (supported), and whether the reasoned action framework could usefully predict help-seeking intentions in this context (supported). The reasoned action framework explained 36% of the variance in help-seeking intentions in the U.S. population and identified injunctive norm (social support) as primary determinant of intention. Neither suicidal ideation, COVID-19 financial hardship, or self-stigma of seeking help influenced determinants of help-seeking. Future research should test injunctive norm as causal predictor of help-seeking in the U.S. population to usefully inform effective help-seeking campaigns, particularly among those who have experienced COVID-19 financial hardship. Additionally, effective dissemination strategies for help-seeking campaigns should be tested and identified, such as broader targeted approaches as well as intentional mis-targeting techniques.

Keywords

Health promotion
Reasoned Action Theory
Depression
Suicide prevention

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