Mental Help-seeking Intention Among Rural Sarawak Bumiputera Adolescents: the Application and Extension of the Theory of Planned Behaviour
Main Article Content
Abstract
Mental health problem is part of the human life experience. Currently, 12% of Malaysian adolescents suffer from mental health problems. According to the National Health Morbidity Survey 2015, adolescents of rural Sarawak and Bumiputera ethnicity had the highest prevalence of mental illness among all other states; however, their help-seeking behaviour remains unknown. The study's purpose was to apply the new extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and structural equation modelling to identify which were the strongest predictor in determining mental help-seeking intention among the Bumiputera ethnic adolescents in the rural area of Sarawak. Materials and methods: The research was conducted using a cross-sectional design, with a self-administered questionnaire using multistage cluster sampling. Results: The report will be based on the study conducted among 1267 Indigenous adolescents in the rural area of Sarawak, with a response rate of 84.5%. The partial mediation model of the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour, explained 19.2% of the variance in the study. The current model explained the rural Bumiputera Sarawak adolescent's help-seeking intention and indicated that attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control are the main predictors of adolescent help-seeking intentions. Conclusion: Any intervention planned for adolescents in rural areas of Sarawak concerning mental health should be based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour model, promote the positive benefit of mental health services, and create a supportive environment toward mental health in the community.
Downloads
Article Details
References
World Health Organisation. Adolescent mental health 2021 [Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health.
Institute for Public Health. National Health Morbidity Survey. 2017.
Institute for Public Health. National Health and Morbnidity Survey. Ministry of Health Malaysia; 2015.
Rickwood D, Thomas K. Conceptual measurement framework for help-seeking for mental health problems. Psychology Research and Behavior Management. 2012;5:173-83.
Bing AWX, Onn CY, Eng TC, Hing LY, Zee TM, Yee LC, editors. Help seeking behavior among secondary school students in Malaysia. International Conference on Social Science Research, ICSSR; 2015.
Thai TT, Vu NLLT, Bui HHT. Mental Health Literacy and Help-Seeking Preferences in High School Students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. School mental health. 2020;12(2):378-87.
Gebreegziabher Y, Girma E, Tesfaye M. Help-seeking behavior of Jimma university students with common mental disorders: A cross-sectional study. PloS one. 2019;14(2):e0212657.
Fang S, Wang XQ, Yang BX, Liu XJ, Morris DL, Yu SH. Survey of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms: Help-seeking behaviours and their influencing factors. Comprehensive psychiatry. 2019;95:152127.
van den Toren SJvG, A.; Lugtenberg, M.; Boelens, M.; Raat, H. Adolescents’ Views on Seeking Help for Emotional and Behavioral Problems: A Focus Group Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(1).
Aldalaykeh M, Al-Hammouri MM, Rababah JJCP. Predictors of mental health services help-seeking behavior among university students. 2019;6(1):1660520.
Lee J-Y, Shin Y-JJTjobhs, research. Using the theory of planned behavior to predict Korean college students’ help-seeking intention. 2020:1-15.
Mak HW, Davis JM. The application of the theory of planned behaviour to help-seeking intention in a chinese society. Soc Psychiatry Epidemiol. 2013.
Choudhry FR, Mani V, Ming LC, Khan TMJNd, treatment. Beliefs and perception about mental health issues: a meta-synthesis. 2016;12:2807.
Mo PKH, Mak WWS. Help-seeking for mental health problems among Chinese. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 2009;44:675-84.
Ajzen I. Constructing a TPB questionnaire: Conceptual and methodological considerations. 2002.
Mo PK, Mak WW. Help-seeking for mental health problems among Chinese: The application and extension of the theory of planned behavior. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 2009;44:675-84.
Wilson CJ, Deane FPJJoa. Brief report: Need for autonomy and other perceived barriers relating to adolescents’ intentions to seek professional mental health care. 2012;35(1):233-7.
Wilson CJ, Deane FP, Ciarrochi J, Rickwood DJJoA. Barriers to Adolescents Seeking Help Scale—Brief Version.
Hair J, Black W, Babin B, Anderson R. Multivariate data analysis , Andover, UK: Cengage Learning. 2018.
Kline RB. Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (3. Baskı). New York: Guilford; 2011. 1497-513 p.
Adams C, Gringart E, Strobel N. Explaining adults’ mental health help-seeking through the lens of the theory of planned behavior: A scoping review. Systematic Reviews. 2022;11(1):160.
Ajzen I. ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND HUMAN DECISION PROCESSES1991.
Chandrasekara WS. Help seeking attitudes and willingness to seek psychological help: Application of the theory of planed behavior. International journal of management, accounting and economics. 2016;3(4):233-45.
Mesidor JK, Sly KF. Mental health help-seeking intentions among international and African American college students: An application of the theory of planned behavior. Journal of International Students. 2014;4(2):137-49.
Pearson S, Hyde CJJoP, Schools Ci. Influences on adolescent help-seeking for mental health problems. 2021;31(1):110-21.
Malinowska-Cieślik M, Mazur J, Nalecz H, Malkowska-Szkutnik A. Social and Behavioral Predictors of Adolescents’ Positive Attitude towards Life and Self. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019;16:4404.
Mak HW, Davis JM. The application of the theory of planned behavior to help-seeking intention in a Chinese society. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 2014;49:1501-15.
Hair Jr JF, Hult GTM, Ringle CM, Sarstedt M. A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM): Sage publications; 2021.
Shoesmith WD, Borhanuddin AFBA, Yong Pau Lin P, Abdullah AF, Nordin N, Giridharan B, et al. Reactions to symptoms of mental disorder and help seeking in Sabah, Malaysia. 2018;64(1):49-55.
O'connor PJ, Martin B, Weeks CS, Ong L. Factors that influence young people's mental health help‐seeking behaviour: a study based on the Health Belief Model. Journal of advanced nursing. 2014;70(11):2577-87.