Factors Affecting College Students’ Intention to Seek Professional Psychological Help: Focused on the Theory of Planned Behavior
10.12934/jkpmhn.2024.33.2.170
- Author:
Geun Sil YOOK
1
;
Sung Hee SHIN
Author Information
1. Master, Department of Nursing, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
2024;33(2):170-180
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:KO
-
Abstract:
Purpose:To identify influences and pathways on college students’ intentions to seek professional pyschological help, focusing on the theory of planned behavior.
Methods:This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted using a structured questionnaire. The study sample comprised 428 college students who were attending a 4-year university located in Seoul and Gyeonggi, Korea. Collected data were checked through path analysis using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 20.0.
Results:Factors that directly influenced college students’ professional psychological help-seeking intentions significantly were attitude toward seeking professional help and perceived behavioral control. Subjective norms and self-stigma indirectly affected the intention to seek professional help for psychological problems, mediated by the attitude toward seeking professional help. These variables were found to explain 11.2% of college students’ intention to seek professional psychological help. Variables that directly influenced college students’attitudes toward seeking professional help were subjective norms and self-stigma. These variables were found to explain 32.3% of college students’ attitudes toward seeking professional help.
Conclusion:It is necessary to have a positive attitude toward pursuing professional psychological help in nursing interventions to increase college students’intention to seek professional help for psychological problems.
