The self-stigma of seeking professional psychological help among undergraduate students and associations with attachment style

Abstract

The self-stigma of seeking help has been identified as a key barrier to seeking professional psychological help among undergraduate students, globally. The development of self-stigma associated with seeking help is linked with lower levels of self-esteem and a reduced self-concept, and these negative effects lead many undergraduate students to avoid utilizing counseling services when needed. Knowledge of factors that contribute to the development of self-stigma among students is necessary to develop intervention efforts that increase help seeking behaviors and improve student wellbeing. The present study explored the self-stigma of seeking help from an attachment perspective. A correlational study design was used to determine the correlation between levels of the self-stigma of seeking help and levels of attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety among a sample of 37 undergraduate students enrolled at a university in Athens, Greece. It was hypothesized that both dimensions of attachment would show a positive correlation with levels of the self-stigma of seeking help. The hypothesis was partially supported, and a positive correlation with a moderate strength of association was found between levels of attachment avoidance and levels of the self-stigma of seeking help. Findings also indicate that within the sample, levels of the self-stigma of seeking help were moderately high, adding to the literature that presents the self-stigma of seeking help as prevalent problem encountered by undergraduate students. Study findings and implications for applicable interventions are discussed.