Association between interpersonal resources and mental health professional help-seeking among Chinese adolescents with probable depression: mediations via personal resources and active coping

Abstract Background Globally, adolescent depression is prevalent. There is, however, a dearth of studies investigating behavioral intention to professional help-seeking regarding mental health problems among adolescents having probable depression. Based on the Stress Coping Theory, the hypothesis th...

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Main Authors: Hui Lu, Yanqiu Yu, Deborah Baofeng Wang, Anise M.S. Wu, Juliet Honglei Chen, Guohua Zhang, Yili Wu, Joseph T.F. Lau
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-11-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06271-4
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author Hui Lu
Yanqiu Yu
Deborah Baofeng Wang
Anise M.S. Wu
Juliet Honglei Chen
Guohua Zhang
Yili Wu
Joseph T.F. Lau
author_facet Hui Lu
Yanqiu Yu
Deborah Baofeng Wang
Anise M.S. Wu
Juliet Honglei Chen
Guohua Zhang
Yili Wu
Joseph T.F. Lau
author_sort Hui Lu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Globally, adolescent depression is prevalent. There is, however, a dearth of studies investigating behavioral intention to professional help-seeking regarding mental health problems among adolescents having probable depression. Based on the Stress Coping Theory, the hypothesis that personal resources and active coping would mediate between interpersonal resources and behavioral intention to professional help-seeking was investigated. Methods Students from five junior middle schools, three senior high schools, and one vocational school were selected to participate in the survey from February to March 2022 via convenient sampling. The questionnaire collected participants’ characteristics, depression, peer acceptance/support, resilience, self-compassion, active coping, and behavioral intention to professional help-seeking. The final sample included 1,425 Chinese adolescents having probable depression (Patient Health Questionnaire score ≥ 10). SPSS 23.0 and Mplus 8.3 were employed to analyze the data. Results The prevalence of behavioral intention to professional help-seeking was 15.4%. Adjusted for background factors, peer acceptance, resilience, self-compassion, and active coping were significantly associated with behavioral intention to professional help-seeking (ORa ranged from 1.05 to 1.31). The indirect effects via active coping (β = 0.020) and a serial indirect effect via personal resources and active coping (β = 0.029) were statistically significant. The direct effect from interpersonal resources to behavioral intention to professional help-seeking was non-significant. Conclusion The prevalence of behavioral intention to professional help-seeking among adolescents with probable depression was low and might render early detection/intervention ineffective. It is important to increase the intention to seek help from professionals. One possibility is to enhance interpersonal/personal resources and active coping.
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spelling doaj-art-df46a01a9bb54028899a078ea437d20a2024-11-24T12:37:55ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2024-11-0124111310.1186/s12888-024-06271-4Association between interpersonal resources and mental health professional help-seeking among Chinese adolescents with probable depression: mediations via personal resources and active copingHui Lu0Yanqiu Yu1Deborah Baofeng Wang2Anise M.S. Wu3Juliet Honglei Chen4Guohua Zhang5Yili Wu6Joseph T.F. Lau7Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Postgraduate Training Base Alliance of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Public Health, Fudan UniversityZhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of MacauDepartment of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech UniversitySchool of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical UniversityOujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Postgraduate Training Base Alliance of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Medical UniversityZhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Background Globally, adolescent depression is prevalent. There is, however, a dearth of studies investigating behavioral intention to professional help-seeking regarding mental health problems among adolescents having probable depression. Based on the Stress Coping Theory, the hypothesis that personal resources and active coping would mediate between interpersonal resources and behavioral intention to professional help-seeking was investigated. Methods Students from five junior middle schools, three senior high schools, and one vocational school were selected to participate in the survey from February to March 2022 via convenient sampling. The questionnaire collected participants’ characteristics, depression, peer acceptance/support, resilience, self-compassion, active coping, and behavioral intention to professional help-seeking. The final sample included 1,425 Chinese adolescents having probable depression (Patient Health Questionnaire score ≥ 10). SPSS 23.0 and Mplus 8.3 were employed to analyze the data. Results The prevalence of behavioral intention to professional help-seeking was 15.4%. Adjusted for background factors, peer acceptance, resilience, self-compassion, and active coping were significantly associated with behavioral intention to professional help-seeking (ORa ranged from 1.05 to 1.31). The indirect effects via active coping (β = 0.020) and a serial indirect effect via personal resources and active coping (β = 0.029) were statistically significant. The direct effect from interpersonal resources to behavioral intention to professional help-seeking was non-significant. Conclusion The prevalence of behavioral intention to professional help-seeking among adolescents with probable depression was low and might render early detection/intervention ineffective. It is important to increase the intention to seek help from professionals. One possibility is to enhance interpersonal/personal resources and active coping.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06271-4Depression, Chinese adolescents, professional help-seekingCoping resourcesActive copingStress Coping Theory
spellingShingle Hui Lu
Yanqiu Yu
Deborah Baofeng Wang
Anise M.S. Wu
Juliet Honglei Chen
Guohua Zhang
Yili Wu
Joseph T.F. Lau
Association between interpersonal resources and mental health professional help-seeking among Chinese adolescents with probable depression: mediations via personal resources and active coping
BMC Psychiatry
Depression, Chinese adolescents, professional help-seeking
Coping resources
Active coping
Stress Coping Theory
title Association between interpersonal resources and mental health professional help-seeking among Chinese adolescents with probable depression: mediations via personal resources and active coping
title_full Association between interpersonal resources and mental health professional help-seeking among Chinese adolescents with probable depression: mediations via personal resources and active coping
title_fullStr Association between interpersonal resources and mental health professional help-seeking among Chinese adolescents with probable depression: mediations via personal resources and active coping
title_full_unstemmed Association between interpersonal resources and mental health professional help-seeking among Chinese adolescents with probable depression: mediations via personal resources and active coping
title_short Association between interpersonal resources and mental health professional help-seeking among Chinese adolescents with probable depression: mediations via personal resources and active coping
title_sort association between interpersonal resources and mental health professional help seeking among chinese adolescents with probable depression mediations via personal resources and active coping
topic Depression, Chinese adolescents, professional help-seeking
Coping resources
Active coping
Stress Coping Theory
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06271-4
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