Between Knowing and Doing: Examining Mental Health Literacy, Stigma, and Social Support in Professional Help-Seeking Among College Students

Cempaka Putrie Dimala; Dinda Aisha; Puspa Rahayu Utami Rahman; Haryanti Mustika

doi:10.25217/0020269802000

Authors

Cempaka Putrie Dimala Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Buana Perjuangan Karawang, Indonesia
Dinda Aisha Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Buana Perjuangan Karawang, Indonesia
Puspa Rahayu Utami Rahman Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Buana Perjuangan Karawang, Indonesia
Haryanti Mustika Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Buana Perjuangan Karawang, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25217/0020269802000

Keywords:

Mental Health, Professional help-seeking, Self-stigma, Social Support, Collage student

Abstract

In the context of increasing mental health concerns among university students, understanding professional help-seeking behavior has become increasingly important. This study examined the relationships among mental health literacy, self-stigma, stigma of mental illness, social support, and professional help-seeking behavior among Indonesian college students experiencing psychological difficulties. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 408 participants recruited through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using JASP version 0.19.1, applying a regression-based model to examine direct, mediating, and moderating effects. Mental health literacy was tested as a mediator, while social support was examined as a moderator. The results indicated that mental health literacy was positively associated with professional help-seeking behavior. Stigma of mental illness was positively related to both mental health literacy and help-seeking, whereas self-stigma was not significantly associated with either variable. Mediation analysis showed that mental health literacy partially mediated the relationship between stigma of mental illness and help-seeking, but not between self-stigma and help-seeking. Social support did not significantly moderate the relationships between stigma variables and help-seeking behavior. These findings suggest that mental health literacy may represent one contributing factor associated with professional help-seeking among university students. However, given the cross-sectional design and modest explanatory power of the model, the results should be interpreted with caution. Future research is needed to further examine the underlying mechanisms of help-seeking behavior in this population.

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