Understanding First-Generation College Students’ Help-Seeking Attitudes Using Structural Equation Modeling

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between first-generation college students’ (FGCSs’) help-seeking attitudes, public and self-stigma, social support, and perceived discrimination (N = 295). A convenience sampling was used, resulting in a total of 295 participants from face-to-face and online administration. Results of structural equation modeling indicated perceived discrimination positively predicted the level of public stigma, and a negative directional relationship was found from social support to public and self-stigma, suggesting the need for increasing support for the population. In addition, mediating effects of public and self-stigma were found. Specifically, public stigma fully mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination and self-stigma, and self-stigma fully mediated the relationship between public stigma and help-seeking attitudes. Furthermore, public stigma partially mediated the relationship between social support and self-stigma, and both public and self-stigma partially mediated the relationship between social support and help-seeking attitudes. Implications for counseling professionals were discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• First-generation college students
• help-seeking attitudes
• mental health stigma
• perceived discrimination
• social support

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD).