ISSN: 2226-6348
Open access
Counselling services are fundamental services provided by the university to aid students in their learning process. Even so, student acceptance of counselling services remains moderate. Stigma, negative experiences, concerns about confidentiality, and the availability of alternative sources of support all contribute to many students' refusal to seek counselling to address personal and academic challenges. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between stigma and attitudes toward counselling among university students at Malaysia's National University (UKM). This study enrolled a total of 196 students. This quantitative study collects data via questionnaires. The Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH) is used to assess self-stigma, and the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form (ATSPPHS-SF) is used to assess attitudes toward counselling. The study's findings indicated a significant negative correlation between self-stigma and willingness to seek counselling among the study subjects (r (196) = -.404, k.01). Self-stigma differences between male and female students were not significant (t = 2.459, df = 194, p.05). However, when attitudes toward counselling services were compared between genders, it was discovered that female students were more positive toward counselling services than male students (t = 2.459, df = 194, p.05). However, when self-stigma and attitudes toward counselling services were compared across fields of study, namely psychology and non-psychology, significant differences emerged. Students in psychology demonstrated lower self-stigma than students in other fields (t = 3.908, df = 194, p.05), as well as a more favourable attitude toward counselling than non-psychology students (t = 4.551, df = 194, p.05). There is also a discussion of the implications and strategies for expanding counselling services to university students.
Abuhamdah, S., Naser, A. Y., Abdelwahab, G. M., & AlQatawneh, A. (2021). The Prevalence of Mental Distress and Social Support among University Students in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11622.
Bos, A. E., Kanner, D., Muris, P., Janssen, B., & Mayer, B. (2009). Mental illness stigma and disclosure: Consequences of coming out of the closet. Issues in mental health nursing, 30(8), 509-513.
Cheng, H. L., Wang, C., McDermott, R. C. (2018). Self-stigma, mental health literacy, and attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Journal of Counseling & Development, 96, 64-74.
Coles, M. E., & Coleman, S. L. (2010). Barriers to treatment seeking for anxiety disorders: Initial data on the role of mental health literacy. Depression and Anxiety, 27, 63–71.
Corrigan, P. (2004). How stigma interferes with mental health care. Ameri- can Psychologist, 59, 614–625.
Eisenberg, D., Downs, M. F., Golberstein, E., & Zivin, K. (2009). Stigma and help seeking for mental health among college students. Medical Care Research and Review, 66, 522–541.
Fook, C. Y., & Sidhu, G. K. (2015). Investigating learning challenges faced by students in higher education. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences, 186, 604-612.
Gonzalez, J. M., Alegria, M., & Prihoda, T. J. (2005). How do attitudes toward mental health treatment vary by age, gender, and ethnicity/race in young adults? Journal of Community Psychology, 33, 611–629.
Heppner, P. P., Wampold, B. E., & Kivlighan, D. M., Jr. (2008). Re- search design in counseling (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
Islam, M. A., Low, W. Y., Tong, W. T., Yuen, C. W., & Abdullah, A. (2018). Factors Associated with depression among University students in Malaysia. KnE Life Sciences, 415–427.
Jorm, A. F., Korten, A. E., Jacomb, P. A., Christensen, H., Rodgers, B., & Pollitt, P. (1997). “Mental health literacy”: A survey of the public’s ability to recognise mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment. The Medical Journal of Australia, 166, 182–186.
Kamunyu, R. N., & Ndungo, C., & Wango, G. 2016). Reasons why university students do not seek counselling services in Kenya. Journal of Education Practice, 7(15), 142-145.
Kim, J. E., & Zane, N. (2015). Help-seeking intentions among Asian American and White American students in psychological distress: Application of the Health Belief Model. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 22, 311–321.
Komiya, N., Good, G. E., & Sherrod, N. B. (2000). Emotional openness as a predictor of college students' attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Journal of counseling psychology, 47(1), 138.
Latiff, L. A., Aszahari, M. A. A., Ab Khalek, N. F., Fang, K. J., & Ibrahim, N. (2014). Prevalence of mental health problems and the associated factors among undergraduate students in a public university, Malaysia. International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences, 1(1), 59–69.
Lin, M. C., Pan, C. T., & Ching, Gregory, S. (2015). Common problems and coping solutions of university students in Taiwan. International Journal of Research Studies in Education 4(1), 3-16.
Mackenzie, C. S., Gekoski, W. L., & Knox, V. J. (2006). Age, gender, and the underutilization of mental health services: The influence of help-seeking attitudes. Aging & Mental Health, 10, 574–582.
Mohammed, H., Hayati, K., & Salmiah, M. (2016). Coping with depression, anxiety, and stress: a cross-sectional study among Malaysian students in a public university. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences, 11(15), 83–95.
Mojtabai, R. (2007). Americans' attitudes toward mental health treatment seeking: 1990–2003. Psychiatric Services, 58(5), 642-651.
Nam, S. K., Choi, S. I., Lee, J. H., Lee, M. K., Kim, A. R., & Lee, S. M. (2013). Psychological factors in college students’ attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help: A meta-analysis. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 44, 37–45.
Nen, S., & Ibrahim, K. A. (2018). Persepsi pelajar terhadap perkhidmatan kaunseling di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. e-BANGI, 13(4), 93-103.
Parcesepe, A. M., & Cabassa, L. J. (2013). Public stigma of mental illness in the United States: a systematic literature review. Administration and policy in mental health, 40(5), 384–399. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-012-0430-z
Rickwood, D., Deane, F. P., Wilson, C. J., & Ciarrochi, J. (2005). Young people’s help-seeking for mental health problems. Australian e-journal for the Advancement of Mental health, 4(3), 218-251.
Ru?sch, N., Mu?ller, M., Ajdacic-Gross, V., Rodgers, S., Corrigan, P. W., & Ro?ssler, W. (2014). Shame, perceived knowledge and satisfaction associated with mental health as predic- tors of attitude patterns towards help-seeking. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 23, 177–187.
Stewart, V. (2009). Perceived social support, suicidal ideation, stigma, and help seeking behaviors among college students. Marywood University.
Tinsley, H. E., de St Aubin, T. M., & Brown, M. T. (1982). College students' help-seeking preferences. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 29(5), 523.
Tucker, J. R., Hammer, J. H., Vogel, D. L., Bitman, R. L., Wade, N. G., & Maier, E. J. (2013). Disentangling self-stigma: Are mental illness and help-seeking self-stigmas different? Jour- nal of Counseling Psychology, 60, 520–531.
Vogel, D. L., Wade, N. G., & Haake, S. (2006). Measuring the self- stigma associated with seeking psychological help. Journal of Coun- seling Psychology, 53, 325–337.
Vogel, D. L., Wade, N. G., & Hackler, A. H. (2007). Perceived public stigma and the willingness to seek counseling: The mediating roles of self-stigma and attitudes toward counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54, 40–50.
Wright, A., Jorm, A. F., Harris, M. G., & McGorry, P. D. (2007). What’s in a name? Is accurate recognition and labelling of mental disorders by young people associated with better help-seeking and treatment prefer- ences? Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 42, 244–250.
In-Text Citation: (Nizam & Nen, 2022)
To Cite this Article: Nizam, M., & Nen, S. (2022). Self -Stigma and Attitudes towards Seeking Counselling Services among University Students. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 11(1), 585–594.
Copyright: © 2022 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