The mediating role of self-stigma in perceived public stigma and attitudes toward mental health help-seeking among university students in Malaysia

• Main Authors: Eui, Ching Sie, Tan, Wei Hong
• Format: Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: BF Psychology
• Online Access: http://eprints.utar.edu.my/3221/1/fyp_PY_2019_ECS_%2D_1503486.pdf; http://eprints.utar.edu.my/3221/
• Institution: Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

The number of cases related to poor mental health is rising dramatically in Malaysia. Stigma and discrimination related to mental illness has become a major barrier for those living with mental health issues to seek psychological treatment. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the mediating effect of self-stigma between perceived public stigma and helpseeking attitudes. A quantitative cross-sectional research and convenience sampling method was adopted to recruit 555 university students from private and public university in Malaysia. The questionnaire distributed consisted of four sections, which include Social Stigma of Receiving Psychological Help (SSRPH), Self-stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH) and Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale - Short Form (ATSPPHS-SF), and demographic information. The results obtained from multiple linear regression indicated perceived public stigma negatively predicted the help-seeking attitudes. Moreover, the findings also stated that self-stigma negatively predicted the attitudes toward mental health help-seeking. As expected, self-stigma plays a mediating role between the relationship of perceived public stigma and help-seeking attitudes. This research provides the latest statistic to mental health field by filling in the knowledge gap and also serves as a reference in planning mental health awareness campaign in order to increase public’s help-seeking attitudes.