The Relationship between Depression Stigma and Depression Literacy on Psychological Help Seeking Attitudes among University Students

Nur Dhaniah Zainul  Ikram; Yusni Mohamad  Yusop; Zaida Nor  Zainudin; Wan Norhayati  Wan Othman; Dharatun Nissa Puad  Mohd Kari

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship and influence of individual’s depression stigma and depression literacy on attitude of seeking counselling help among youth namely university students. The respondents of this study are 302 students from public universities in Malaysia namely Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). This is a correlational study to identify the relationship and influence between variables. Data collected from the sample will be analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Statistical analysis that will be used are descriptive and inferential analysis. Findings of the study shows that the relationship between depression stigma and psychological help seeking behaviour indicates a strong negative relationship. The relationship between depression literacy and psychological help seeking behaviour indicates a weak positive relationship. The gender difference in relation to depression stigma shows male have significantly higher negative stigma rather than female. The gender difference in relation to depression literacy demonstrate that male have significantly lower literacy on depression rather than female. The gender difference in relation to psychological help seeking behaviour shows that male have significantly lower tendency on psychological help seeking attitudes rather than female.

Addis, M. E., & Mahalik, J. R. (2003). Men, masculinity, and the contexts of help-seeking. American Psychologist, 58, 5– 14.
Al-Shannaq, Y., Jaradat, D., Ta’an, W. F., & Jaradat, D. (2023). Depression stigma, depression literacy, and psychological help seeking attitudes among school and university students. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 46, 98–106.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2023.08.010
Arnaez, J. M., Krendl, A. C., McCormick, B. P., Chen, Z., & Chomistek, A. K. (2020). The association of depression stigma with barriers to seeking mental health care: A cross-sectional analysis. Journal of Mental Health, 29(2), 182-190.
Biddle L, Donovan J, Sharp D, Gunnell D: Explaining non-help-seeking amongst young adults with mental distress: a dynamic interpretive model of illness behaviour. Sociology of health & illness 2007, 29(7): 983–1002
Call, J. B., & Shafer, K. (2015). Gendered manifestations of depression and help seeking among men. American Journal of Men’s Health, 12(1), 41–51.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988315623993
Corrigan, P. (2004). How stigma interferes with mental health care. American psychologist, 59(7), 614.
Corrigan, P. W., & Watson, A. C. (2002). Understanding the impact of stigma on people with mental illness. World psychiatry, 1(1), 16.
Conceição, V., Rothes, I., & Gusmão, R. (2022). The association between stigmatizing attitudes towards depression and help seeking attitudes in college students. PLOS ONE, 17(2). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263622
Chen, P., Liu, X. J., Wang, X. Q., Yang, B. X., Ruan, J., & Liu, Z. (2020). Attitude toward seeking professional psychological help among community-dwelling population in China. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11, 417.
Fischer, E. H., & Farina, A. (1995). Attitudes toward seeking professional psychologial help: A shortened form and considerations for research. Journal of college student development.
Furnham, A., & Hamid, A. (2014). Mental health literacy in non-western countries: a review of the recent literature. Mental Health Review Journal, 19(2), 84-98.
Gulliver, A., Griffiths, K. M., & Christensen, H. (2010). Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: a systematic review. BMC psychiatry, 10(1), 1-9.
Gulliver, A., Griffiths, K. M., & Christensen, H. (2012). Barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking for young elite athletes: a qualitative study. BMC psychiatry, 12, 1-14.
Guenthner, L., Baldofski, S., Kohls, E., Schuhr, J., Brock, T., & Rummel-Kluge, C. (2023). Differences in Help-Seeking Behavior among University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic Depending on Mental Health Status: Results from a Cross-Sectional Survey. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 13(11), 885.
https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13110885
Hankivsky, O. (2014). Rethinking care ethics: On the promise and potential of an intersectional analysis. American Political Science Review, 108(2), 252-264.
Ibrahim, N., Amit, N., Shahar, S., Wee, L. H., Ismail, R., Khairuddin, R., ... & Safien, A. M. (2019). Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia. BMC public health, 19, 1-8.
Jorm, A. F., Kitchener, B. A., Sawyer, M. G., Scales, H., & Cvetkovski, S. (2010). Mental health first aid training for high school teachers: a cluster randomized trial. BMC psychiatry, 10(1), 1-12.
Jorm, A. F. (2000). Mental health literacy: Public knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 177(5), 396-401.
Kulwicka, K., & Gasiorowska, A. (2023). Depression Literacy and Misconceptions Scale (DepSter): A new two-factorial tool for measuring beliefs about depression. BMC Psychiatry, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04796-8
Kulwicka, K., & Gasiorowska, A. (2023). Depression literacy and misconceptions scale (DepSter): a new two-factorial tool for measuring beliefs about depression. BMC psychiatry, 23(1), 1-20.
Kutcher, S., Wei, Y., & Coniglio, C. (2016). Mental health literacy: Past, present, and future. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 61(3), 154-158.
Lynch, H., McDonagh, C., & Hennessy, E. (2021). Social anxiety and depression stigma among adolescents. Journal of Affective Disorders, 281, 744–750.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.073
Matud, M. P., López-Curbelo, M., & Fortes, D. (2019). Gender and psychological well-being. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(19), 3531. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16193531
Maeshima, L. S., & Parent, M. C. (2020). Mental health stigma and professional help-seeking behaviors among Asian American and Asian international students. Journal of American College Health, 1–7. doi:10.1080/07448481.2020.1819
Mamun, M. A., Naher, S., Moonajilin, M. S., Jobayar, A. M., Rayhan, I., Kircaburun, K., & Griffiths, M. D. (2020). Depression literacy and awareness programs among Bangladeshi students: an online survey. Heliyon, 6(9).
McKenzie, S. K., Oliffe, J. L., Black, A., & Collings, S. (2022). Men’s experiences of mental illness stigma across the lifespan: a scoping review. American Journal of Men's Health, 16(1), 15579883221074789.
Mahalik, J. R., & Dagirmanjian, F. R. (2019). Working-class men’s constructions of help-seeking when feeling depressed or sad. American journal of men's health, 13(3), 1557988319850052.
Oliffe, J. L., Ogrodniczuk, J. S., Gordon, S. J., Creighton, G., Kelly, M. T., Black, N., & Mackenzie, C. (2016). Stigma in Male Depression and Suicide: A Canadian Sex Comparison Study. Community Mental Health Journal, 52, 302–310 (doi: 10.1007).
Pescosolido, Bernice A.; Martin, Jack K.; Scott Long, J.; Medina, Tait; Phelan, Jo C.; Link, Bruce G. ‘A Disease Like Any Other?’ A Decade of Change in Public Reactions to Schizophrenia, Depression and Alcohol Dependence. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2010; 167(11):1321–30. [PubMed: 20843872]
Pruksarungruang, J., & Rhein, D. (2022). Depression Literacy: An Analysis of the Stigmatization of Depression in Thailand. SAGE Open, 12(4).
https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221140376
Planey, A. M., Smith, S. M., Moore, S., & Walker, T. D. (2019). Barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking among African American youth and their families: A systematic review study. Children and Youth Services Review, 101, 190-200.
Perre, N. M., Wilson, N. J., Smith-Merry, J., & Murphy, G. (2016). Australian university students’ perceptions of mental illness: a qualitative study. JANZSSA-Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association, 24(2).
Pescosolido, B. A., Martin, J. K., Long, J. S., Medina, T. R., Phelan, J. C., & Link, B. G. (2010). “A disease like any other”? A decade of change in public reactions to schizophrenia, depression, and alcohol dependence. American journal of psychiatry, 167(11), 1321-1330.
Reavley, N. J., & Jorm, A. F. (2012). Stigmatising attitudes towards people with mental disorders: changes in Australia over 8 years. Psychiatry research, 197(3), 302-306.
Staiger, T., Stiawa, M., Mueller-Stierlin, A. S., Kilian, R., Beschoner, P., Gündel, H., Becker, T., Frasch, K., Panzirsch, M., Schmauß, M., & Krumm, S. (2020). Masculinity and help-seeking among men with depression: A qualitative study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.599039
Simons, L. K., Leibowitz, S. F., & Hidalgo, M. A. (2014). Understanding gender variance in children and adolescents. Pediatric Annals, 43(6). https://doi.org/10.3928/00904481-20140522-07
Singh, S., Zaki, R. A., & Farid, N. D. N. (2019). A systematic review of depression literacy: Knowledge, help-seeking and stigmatising attitudes among adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 74, 154-172.
Townsend, L., Musci, R., Stuart, E., Heley, K., Beaudry, M. B., Schweizer, B., Ruble, A., Swartz, K., & Wilcox, H. (2019). Gender differences in depression literacy and stigma after a randomized controlled evaluation of a universal depression education program. Journal of Adolescent Health, 64(4), 472–477.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.10.298
Vogel, D. L., Wade, N., & Hackler, S. (2007). Perceived public stigma and the willingness to seek counseling: The mediating role of self-stigma and attitudes toward counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54, 40 –50. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.54.1.40
Vogel, D. L., Bitman, R. L., Hammer, J. H., & Wade, N. G. (2013). Is stigma internalized? The longitudinal impact of public stigma on self-stigma. Journal of counseling psychology, 60(2), 311.
Wang, C., Cramer, K. M., Cheng, H. L., & Do, K. A. (2019). Associations between depression literacy and help-seeking behavior for mental health services among high school students. School Mental Health, 11, 707–718. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s12310-019-09325-1
Wang, C., Cramer, K. M., Cheng, H.-L., & Do, K. A. (2019). Associations between depression literacy and help-seeking behavior for mental health services among high school students. School Mental Health, 11(4), 707–718. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-019-09325-1
Yang, F., Yang, B. X., Stone, T. E., Wang, X. Q., Zhou, Y., Zhang, J., & Jiao, S. F. (2020). Stigma towards depression in a community-based sample in China. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 97, 152152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2019.152152

(Ikram et al., 2024)
Ikram, N. D. Z., Yusop, Y. M., Zainudin, Z. N., Othman, W. N. W., & Kari, D. N. P. M. (2024). The Relationship between Depression Stigma and Depression Literacy on Psychological Help Seeking Attitudes among University Students. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(3), 30–50.

Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

The Relationship between Depression Stigma and Depression Literacy on Psychological Help Seeking Attitudes among University Students

Nur Dhaniah Zainul Ikram, Yusni Mohamad Yusop, Zaida Nor Zainudin, Wan Norhayati Wan Othman, Dharatun Nissa Puad Mohd Kari

Further Information

Our Journals

Get intouch with us