Clinical and Cultural Barriers to Psychological Help Seeking in African American college students

Abstract

This study evaluated clinical and cultural barriers to help seeking to identify which factor best predicted African American undergraduate student initial attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help (ATSPPH-short form). Predictor variables included anticipated utility, emotional openness, cultural mistrust, racial identity development, and stigma. Moderator variables controlled for prior counseling, gender and site. This study built upon prior research by evaluating clinical and cultural factors together and utilizing an information processing model to conceptualize data (Vogel et al., 2006). The focus on African American undergraduate students was based on retention problems for this population (American Council on Education, 2006) and underutilization of counseling by this population despite evidence of links between counseling & college persistence (Alford, 2000; Hamilton, 2006; Kearney, Draper & Barron, 2005; Trippi & Cheatham, 1991; & Wilson, Mason & Ewing, 1997). Sixty seven students from two Northeastern US colleges were surveyed. Direct correlation analysis found nine significant relationships with ATSPPH. Controlled for prior counseling use, anticipated benefit (r = .423, p=.001), Emotional Openness (r = .330, p=.010), and an Assimilationist Ideology of Racial Identity (r = .296, p=.022) were correlated with ATSPPH. Stepwise Multiple Regression found four significant predictors of attitudes, anticipated benefit (F=15.062, p<.001), Private Regard subscale of Racial Identity Development (F=13.845, p<.001), Prior Counseling (F=11.791, p<.001), and Emotional Openness (F=10.485, p<.001). Predictors appeared to match each level of the information processing model, suggesting a complex decision making process. Future research might repeat the model with greater or different populations.