Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Youth’s Help-Seeking Intentions for ADHD and Depression: Findings from a National Survey

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Child and Family Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study investigates the role that youth-level factors play in predicting help-seeking intentions in a nationally representative sample. Eleven help-seeking intentions were examined separately by target conditions (ADHD and depression), gender, race/ethnicity, and self-reported diagnosed/non-diagnosed in respect to the target conditions, and interaction effects were tested. Using factor analysis, a traditional help-seeking scale was created, which captured four help-seeking items, and predictive power of youth-level factors in accounting for traditional help-seeking was tested. Study findings provide practitioners and researchers with fresh evidence on what youth-level factors are associated with which help-seeking intentions, and illustrate the challenges involved in better understanding the complexity of the help-seeking process among youth in the context of ADHD/Depression. With increased understanding of youth’s perceptions and the complexity of their help-seeking behavior, community-based efforts to develop effective strategies that support active help-seeking behavior and eliminate barriers to appropriate care can have a greater likelihood of success.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Armitage, C., & Conner, M. (2001). Efficacy of the theory of planned behavior: A meta analytic review. British Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 471–499.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ballon, B., Kirst, M., & Smith, P. (2004). Youth help-seeking expectancies and their relation to help-seeking behaviours for substance use problems. Addiction Research and Theory, 12, 241–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barker, G. (2007). Adolescents, social support and help-seeking behavior. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biddle, L., Donovan, J., Sharp, D., & Gunnell, D. (2007). Explaining non-help-seeking amongst young adults with mental distress: A dynamic interpretive model of illness behavior. Sociology of Health & Illness, 29, 987–1002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borgers, N., de Leeuw, E., & Hox, J. (2000). Children as respondents in survey research: Cognitive development and response quality. Bulletin de Methodologie Sociologique, 66, 60–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns, J., & Rapee, R. (2006). Adolescent mental health literacy: Young people’s knowledge of depression and help seeking. Journal of Adolescence, 29, 225–239.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bussing, R., Gary, F., Mills, T., & Garvan, C. (2003a). Parental explanatory models of ADHD: Gender and cultural variations. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 38, 563–575.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bussing, R., Koro-Ljungberg, M., Gary, F., Mason, D., & Garvan, C. (2005). Exploring help-seeking for ADHD symptoms: A mixed-methods approach. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 13, 85–101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bussing, R., Zima, B., Gary, F., & Garvan, C. (2003b). Barriers to detection, help-seeking, and service use for children with ADHD symptoms. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 30, 176–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cauce, A., Paradise, M., Domenech-Rodriguez, M., Cochran, B., Shea, J., Srebnik, D., et al. (2002). Cultural and contextual influences in mental health help seeking: A focus on ethnic minority youth. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 44–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, H. (2005). Mental illness and principal physical diagnoses among Asian American and Pacific Islander users of emergency services. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 26, 1061–1079.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, A., Medlow, S., Kelk, N., & Hickie, I. (2009). Young people’s experiences of mental health care. Youth Studies Australia, 28, 13–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, D., Walker, J., Lee, J., Squire, P., & Friesen, B. (2009). Children’s causal beliefs about childhood depression and ADHD: Stigmatization, demographics, and role of contact in a national sample. Psychiatric Services, 60, 950–957.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corrigan, P., Kerr, A., & Knudsen, L. (2005). The stigma of mental illness: Explanatory models and methods for change. Applied and Preventive Psychology, 11, 179–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Council of American Survey Research Organizations. (1997–2011). CASRO code of standards and ethics for survey research. Retrieved June 1, 2011, from http://www.casro.org/codeofstandards.cfm.

  • Ellison, C., Boardman, J., Williams, D., & Jackson, J. (2001). Religious involvement, stress, and mental health: Findings from the 1995 Detroit Area Study. Social Forces, 80, 215–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, C., & Taylor, R. (1996). Turning to prayer: Social and situational antecedents of religious coping among African Americans. Review of Religious Research, 38, 111–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Exley, B. (2005). The behavioral ‘crisis’: Young children’s mis/understanding of the identities of ADHD. Sydney, Australia: Paper presented at the International Education Research Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, C., Buchanan-Barrow, E., & Barrett, M. (2008). Children’s understanding of mental illness: An exploratory study. Child: Care Health & Development, 34, 10–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaston, G., & Gerjo, K. (1996). The theory of planned behavior: A review of its applications to health-related behaviors. American Journal of Health Promotion, 11, 87–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Givens, J., Houston, T., Van Voorhees, B., Ford, D., & Cooper, L. (2007). Ethnicity and preferences for depression treatment. General Hospital Psychiatry, 29, 182–191.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hennessy, E., Swords, L., & Heary, C. (2008). Children’s understanding of psychological problems displayed by their peers: A review of the literature. Child: Care, Health & Development, 34, 4–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaycox, L., Asarnow, J., Sherbourne, C., Rea, M., LaBorde, A., & Wells, K. (2006). Adolescent primary care patients’ preferences for depression treatment. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 33, 198–207.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jorm, A., & Oh, E. (2009). Desire for social distance from people with mental disorders: A review. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 43, 183–200.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kisch, J., Leino, V., & Silverman, M. (2005). Aspects of suicidal behavior, depression, and treatment in college students: Results from the Spring 2000 National College Health Assessment Survey. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 35, 3–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lauber, C., Nordt, C., Falcato, L., & Rossler, W. (2004). Factors influencing social distance toward people with mental illness. Community Mental Health Journal, 40, 265–274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, J., Pescosolido, B., Olafsdottir, S., & McLeod, J. (2007). The construction of fear: American’s preferences for social distance from children and adolescents with mental health problems. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 48, 50–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • National Institute of Mental Health. (2011). Depression. NIH Pub. No. 11-3561. Rockville, MD.

  • Pescosolido, B., Jensen, P., Martin, J., Perry, B., Olafsdottir, S., & Fettes, D. (2008). Public knowledge and assessment of child mental health problems: Findings from the National Stigma Study-Children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 339–349.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rickwood, D., Deane, F., & Wilson, C. (2007). When and how do young people seek professional help for mental health problems? Medical Journal of Australia, 187, S35–S39.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rickwood, D., Deane, F., Wilson, C., & Ciarrochi, J. (2005). Young people’s help-seeking for mental health problems. Australia e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health, 4, 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rideout, V. (2001). Generational Rx.com: How young people use the internet for health information. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/Toplines.pdf.

  • Robinson, J., Bruxner, A., Harrigan, S., Bendall, S., Killackey, E., Tonin, V., et al. (2010). Study protocol: The development of a pilot study employing a randomized controlled design to investigate the feasibility and effects of a peer support program following discharge from a specialist first-episode psychosis treatment centre. BMC Psychiatry, 10, 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schonert-Reichl, K., Offer, D., & Howard, K. (1995). Seeking help from informal and formal resources during adolescence: Sociodemographic and psychological correlates. Adolescent Psychiatry, 20, 165–178.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sheffield, J., Fiorenza, E., & Sofronoff, K. (2004). Adolescents’ willingness to seek psychological help: Promoting and preventing factors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 33, 495–507.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, H., Biscope, S., Poland, B., & Goldberg, E. (2003). How adolescents use technology for health information: Implications for health professionals from focus group studies. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 5, e32.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, L., & Morris, A. (2001). Adolescent development. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 83–110.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, K., Marshal, S., & Schonert-Reichl, K. (2002). Do expectancies influence choice of help-giver? Adolescents’ criteria for selecting an informal helper. Journal of Adolescent Research, 17, 509–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swords, L., Hennessy, E., & Heary, C. (2011). Adolescents’ beliefs about sources of help for ADHD and depression. Journal of Adolescence, 34, 485–492.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, E., Mazza, J., Herting, J., Randell, B., & Eggert, L. (2005). The mediating roles of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness on adolescent suicidal behaviors. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 35, 14–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thorell, L., & Dahlstrom, K. (2009). Children’s self-reports on perceived effects on taking stimulant medication for ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 12, 460–468.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thurston, I., & Vicky, P. (2008). Mental health service utilization among African American and Caucasian mothers and fathers. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 1058–1067.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, J., Coleman, D., Lee, J., Squire, P., & Friesen, B. (2008). Children’s stigmatization of childhood depression and ADHD: Magnitude and demographic variation in a national sample. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 47, 1–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wood, A., & Wahl, O. (2006). Evaluating the effectiveness of a consumer-provided mental health recovery education presentation. Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 30, 46–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ybarra, M., & Suman, M. (2006). Help seeking behavior and the internet: A national study. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 75, 29–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, Portland State University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA

    Junghee Lee & William E. Donlan

  2. School of Social Work/Pathways Research and Training Center, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA

    Barbara J. Friesen & Janet S. Walker

  3. Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University, New York, NY, USA

    Daniel Colman

Authors
  1. Junghee Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Barbara J. Friesen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Janet S. Walker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Daniel Colman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. William E. Donlan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Junghee Lee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lee, J., Friesen, B.J., Walker, J.S. et al. Youth’s Help-Seeking Intentions for ADHD and Depression: Findings from a National Survey. J Child Fam Stud 23, 144–156 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9700-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9700-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation