Self-concealment and perfectionism as predictors of attitude towards seeking psychological help among Filipino college students

• Main Author: Koottarappallil, Devasia
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2009
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/3799
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study investigated the attitudes toward seeking psychological help among Filipino college students using a concurrent triangulation research design. The first phase (quantitative phase) of the research examined the levels of variables and their relationships, and determined the significant predictors of attitudes toward seeking psychological help. The study showed that the sample population experienced low levels of self-concealment, moderately high levels of perfectionism, and moderate levels of attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Self-concealment emerged as a positive predictor of stigma tolerance and perfectionism is a negative predictor of stigma tolerance. The second phase of the research (qualitative phase) explored college students problems, the nature of self-concealment, and attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Filipino college students experience academic, financial, interpersonal, and family problems. Self-concealment is caused by the fear of a breach of confidentiality, oversensitivity, experience of betrayal, shame, and stigma. They believe that personal problems should be confidential, they are reluctant to open up due to lack of trust and confidence, they think that counseling is for problematic persons and seeking counseling help will bring bad name and disgrace to the family, and they view counseling as a last resort. However, they believe that counseling helps to solve and clarify problems and helpful for making decision. They resolve problems by coping strategies such as reflective coping, writing personal journal, exercise, games, movies, crying, self encouragement, perseverance, and dependence on God. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of counseling practice and future research.