Issues and help seeking behavior Essay Example
Issues and help seeking behavior Essay Example

Issues and help seeking behavior Essay Example

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  • Pages: 6 (1488 words)
  • Published: August 8, 2017
  • Type: Research Paper
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Adolescent help-seeking behavior has been insufficiently researched, as stated by Fallon and Bowles (1999). This can be attributed to the ongoing development of adolescents' cognitive and critical thinking abilities.

The study's objective was to examine how adolescents' behaviors in seeking professional help have evolved. It utilized secondary data from different researchers and involved student participants with diverse demographic backgrounds.

According to Fallon et al (1999), their investigations centered on different factors, including gender and ethnicities. They studied how adolescents seek help for both major and minor issues. The researchers discovered that participants were especially impacted by the more severe major problems, causing them distress.

1,022 secondary school students from the Melbourne Metropolitan area, including 585 males, participated in the study. Smaller tasks did not cause stress among the participants.

There were 419 females an

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d 419 males in total. Among them, 297 were in years 7 and 8, while the rest (333) were in years 9 and 10. The remaining participants belonged to years 11 and 12. The age of the participants varied from 11 to 18 years old. Every participant completed a survey with three parts aimed at identifying adolescent concerns and help-seeking behavior.

The survey questionnaire was divided into three sections. The first section gathered demographic information. In the second section, there were evaluation and categorizing questions to identify key concerns, determine their nature, and assess available sources of help. The third section focused on minor concerns.

The two concerns were categorized into five classes: household, interpersonal, wellness, instruction, and others. The sources of assistance initially came from friends.

The study revealed that both parents and professionals had similar concerns regarding the degree of jobs for pupils. Approximately 50% of th

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participants sought assistance for their main jobs, while 40% sought aid for minor jobs. Additionally, 25% of the participants expressed a need for support in both types of jobs. The most commonly identified major issues were related to household and interpersonal skills, while minor issues were also mentioned.

Household and instructional tasks were frequently mentioned, leading young people to differentiate between major and minor tasks and respond differently to them. Regarding major tasks, females were more willing to seek assistance compared to males.

There was no gender disparity when it came to minor jobs, but males tended to ask about parents instead of friends, while females were more reciprocal. Nonetheless, for both minor and major jobs, respondents favored seeking assistance from parents and friends rather than professionals.

The availability of nonprofessional sources could be the reason for this. In 1990, Gim, Atkinson, and Whiteley conducted an investigation on Asian-Americans and the connection between socialization and the desire to seek counseling.

A survey was conducted among 816 Asian-American students from West Coast University. Out of the respondents, there were 399 males and 417 females. Furthermore, 291 of them were freshmen, 191 were juniors, and 159 were sophomores.

174 participants were involved in the study, with the senior group comprising individuals aged 16 to 37. The questionnaire for the study had three sections, which required the respondents to provide demographic information and evaluate the seriousness of 24 matters across eight areas of concern. Furthermore, they had to rate their ability to seek counseling for these concerns. Among these 24 issues assessed, fiscally-related matters received high scores from the respondents.

The text discusses various aspects of academic life and relationships, as well as the

struggles with parents. It highlights that among Asian Americans, seeking counseling is more common for issues related to financial matters.

Academic life is demanding and requires a lot of effort, but many students are reluctant to ask for help when it comes to issues like confusion about cultural identity, living with a roommate, and overall well-being.

The attitudes of respondents towards seeking counselors would be influenced by socialization, ethnicity, and gender. Asiatic Americans who are more socially integrated would be more inclined to seek help from professional counselors. In a separate study, Kim and Omizo (2003) gathered data from 242 Asiatic American college students attending universities in the middle Atlantic and Hawaii.

A total of 140 females and 102 males were among the respondents, with ages ranging from 18 to 57 years old. Among them, fifty-nine had sought advice previously. Notably, the majority of the respondents originated from China and Korea.

Kim and Omizo (2003) conducted a study that found a correlation between Asian Americans who strongly identify with Asian cultural values in both the Philippines and Japan, and their hesitancy to seek professional psychological help or consult counselors from various professions. It is worth mentioning that the sample size of this study was small, which may have influenced the robustness of its conclusions.

In 2007, Eisenberg, Golverstein, and Gollust conducted a study at a public university in the Midwest to investigate the behavior of seeking help and the accessibility of mental health services. The study included 5,021 individuals who were at least 18 years old.

A total of 2,785 students participated in the web-based study. Among them, 2,495 were undergraduates while the remaining students consisted of graduate and professional

students. It is important to mention that these participants had a demographic profile similar to the overall national student population.

The research used the PHQ-9 to detect signs of depression. Findings indicated that 15% of students underwent psychotherapy or took psychoactive medication. Approximately half of the participants were knowledgeable about and had access to mental health services on campus, which was particularly important for those struggling with major depression.

Only 36% of students received intervention, indicating a lack of utilization of affordable university medical services. Those who did not seek help often believed that stress was normal in school, did not believe there was a need for assistance, or thought that problems would improve over time.

There are limitations to the research, such as the reliability of web study results and the exclusion of informal sources of support like friends and family. However, overall investigations indicate that females are more willing to seek help for issues that affect them. When it comes to dating violence, though, male perpetrators and victims were more inclined to seek assistance compared to females (Ashley ; Foshee).

In 2005, Ashley et al conducted a study analyzing secondary data from a longitudinal survey on teenage dating violence. The study focused on adolescents' help-seeking behavior and the available resources in cases of dating violence. A sample size of 365 participants was selected out of the original 1814 study participants from the 1996 survey.

Among the rural North Carolina public school students who participated in the study, 225 individuals encountered dating violence and 140 individuals were identified as perpetrators. It should be noted that over 60% of the respondents, particularly the culprits, did not seek help for dating

violence. However, among those who did seek assistance, they preferred seeking support from their friends and family members rather than professionals.

Females have a higher tendency to avoid seeking professional help in comparison to males, possibly because society accepts male-on-female violence. Moreover, dating violence involving males is more likely to lead to severe consequences. Furthermore, older offenders are more inclined to seek assistance than younger ones. The proposal suggests that as adolescents grow older, they gain a better understanding of dating violence and its possible outcomes, which motivates them to seek support.

The indecision, issues, concerns, or hurt faced by young individuals can differ depending on their education levels, gender, ethnicity, age, or nationality.

Adolescents encounter difficulties in various areas of life, such as the household, interpersonal relationships, education, and health. It is a common observation that a significant number of them, particularly males, are reluctant to seek help.

Despite the availability of professional counselors, males are more inclined to seek help for certain issues, such as dating force. The easy accessibility of informal support from friends and family has made it a popular choice for teenagers facing psychological problems. However, societal norms also contribute to the low frequency of seeking professional counseling.

There is a lack of knowledge or awareness regarding the benefits of professional assistance, so society needs to promote the advantages of professional guidance and enhance trust in it. This is especially important for young people who are still in a transitional phase.

The development of perceptual experiences, knowledge, and abstract thought is crucial as it encourages individuals to have a positive mindset when seeking professional help for issues that affect them.

In the terminal, you can also support

individuals in cultivating a positive mindset in their lives.

Mentions

  1. Ashley. O. S. Foshee. V. A. (2005). Adolescent help-seeking for dating violence: prevalence.

sociodemographic correlatives and beginnings of help_. Journal of Adolescent Health 36. _ 25-31.

  • Eisenberg. D.
  • Golverstein. E.

    & Gollust, E. (2007). Help-seeking and access to mental health care in a university student population. Medical Care, 45(7).

    • Fallon.

    B.J. & Bowles, T. (1999).

    The text discusses adolescent help-seeking for major and minor jobs in an article titled "Australian Journal of Psychology. 51 (1). 12-18" by R. Gim.

    H. . Atkinson. D. R.

    . & Whiteley. S. (1990). Asian-American socialization: badness of jobs.

    and willingness to see a counsellor. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 37 ( 3 ). 281-285.

    Kim.

    B. S. . & Omizo.

    M. M. (2003). Investigating attitudes towards seeking professional psychological aid in Asiatic civilization values.

    and the desire to consult with a counselor. THE COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGIST. 31 (3). 343-361.

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