A theory-based examination of the predictors of mental health help-seeking in young men

Figures & data

Table 1. Mental health help-seeking: scale items for the model constructs.

Variable	Item Example	Scoring or Rating	Scale Detail and Reliability
Attitude (2 items for each support type)	For me, if I were concerned about my mental health more than usual, seeking formal mental health support would be …	[1] favourable [7] unfavourable	Pearson’s r = .77 (Informal) Pearson’s r = .63 (Formal)
Subjective norm (2 items for each support type)	If I were concerned about my mental health more than usual, most of my friends would think I should seek informal mental health support if needed.	[1] strongly disagree to [7] strongly agree	Pearson’s r = .63 (Informal) Pearson’s r = .63 (Formal)
Prototype similarity (1 item for each support type)	In general, how similar do you feel like to the type of person your age who seeks formal mental health support.	[1] strongly dissimilar, [7] strongly similar	N/A
Prototype favourability (1 item for each support type)	In general, how favourable do you feel about someone your age who seeks formal mental health support.	[1] strongly unfavourable, [7] strongly favourable	N/A
Behavioural Willingness (2 items for each support type)	Imagine you were feeling very sad and did not feel like going to work, spending time with friends or doing things you would usually enjoy. How willing would you be to seek informal support (i.e., friends and family).	[1] not willing at all [7] very willing	Pearson’s r = .77 (Informal scenario 1) r = .60 (Informal scenario 2) Pearson’s r = .80 (Formal scenario 1) r = .57 (Formal scenario 2)
Self-stigma of Seeking Help (10 items)	I would feel inadequate if I went to a therapist for psychological help.	[1] strongly disagree to [7] strongly agree	Cronbach’s α =.86
Emotional Expressivity Scale (17 items)	Even if I am feeling very emotional, I don’t let others see my feelings.	[1] strongly disagree to [7] strongly agree	Cronbach’s α =.94

Scale reliability is shown for two behaviours: Informal = Informal help-seeking behaviours; Formal = formal help-seeking behaviours.

Table 2. Hierarchical multiple regression with PWM and additional constructs predicting willingness to engage in informal mental health behaviours for external event and internal feeling state scenarios (N = 171).

Step	Variable	B	SE	β	95% CI	sr^2	R^2	R^2 (Δ)
External Event
Step 1	Attitude	.30	.07	.31***	[.16, .43]	.09	.39***
	Subjective Norm	.10	.12	.06	[−.13, .41]	.00
	Prototype Similarity	.36	.07	.39***	[.21, .50]	.09
	Prototype Favourability	−.06	.08	−.05	[−.22, .10]	.01
Step 2	Attitude	.25	.07	.26***	[.10, .40]	.05	.41**	.02
	Subjective Norm	.09	.12	.05	[−.14, .32]	.00
	Prototype Similarity	.33	.07	.36***	[.19, .48]	.07
	Prototype Favourability	−.04	.08	−.08	[−.26, .06]	.02
	Self-Stigma	−.24	.15	−.12	[−.55, .06]	.01
	Emotional Expressivity	.13	.13	.08	[−.12, .39]	.03
Internal Feeling State
Step 1	Attitude	.31	.13	.30***	[.15, .48]	.09	.30***
	Subjective Norm	.14	.13	.08	[−.13, .41]	.00
	Prototype Similarity	.31	.08	.31***	[.14, .47]	.09
	Prototype Favourability	−.13	.09	−.10	[−.32, .05]	.01
Step 2	Attitude	.23	.08	.23***	[.06, .48]	.05	.35**	.04**
	Subjective Norm	.11	.13	.06	[−.15, .37]	.00
	Prototype Similarity	.27	.08	.28***	[.11, .44]	.07
	Prototype Favourability	−.18	.09	−.15	[−.37, .00]	.02
	Self-Stigma	−.22	.17	−.10	[−.57, .12]	.01
	Emotional Expressivity	.33	.14	.18*	[.03, .72]	.03

Β = standardised regression coefficient; sr² = squared semi-partial correlations. Statistical significance: *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Table 3. Hierarchical multiple regression with PWM and additional constructs predicting willingness to engage in formal mental health behaviours for external event and internal feeling state scenarios (N = 160).

Step	Variable	B	SE	β	95% CI	sr^2	R^2	R^2 (Δ)
External Event
Step 1	Attitude	.27	.08	.25***	[.10, .43]	.04	.30***
	Subjective Norm	.30	.11	.19**	[.06, .53]	.06
	Prototype Similarity	.29	.07	.30***	[.15, .43]	.10
	Prototype Favourability	.02	.08	.02	[−.14, .19]	.00
Step 2	Attitude	.23	.08	.20**	[.05, .40]	.04	.34**	.03**
	Subjective Norm	.22	.11	.14	[−.00, .46]	.02
	Prototype Similarity	.25	.07	.25***	[.10, .39]	.07
	Prototype Favourability	−.04	.08	−.03	[−.21, .13]	.00
	Self-Stigma	−.38	.11	.18*	[−.55, .06]	.03
	Emotional Expressivity	.12	.13	.07	[−.13, .39]	.00
Internal Feeling State
Step 1	Attitude	.26	.08	.23***	[.09, .43]	.05	.29***
	Subjective Norm	.29	.11	.19**	[.06, .52]	.04
	Prototype Similarity	.29	.07	.30***	[.14, .43]	.10
	Prototype Favourability	.03	.08	.03	[.14, .43]	.00
Step 2	Attitude	.19	.08	.18*	[.02, .36]	.03	.40***	.10***
	Subjective Norm	.16	.11	.10	[−.05, .38]	.01
	Prototype Similarity	.21	.06	.22***	[.07, .34]	.06
	Prototype Favourability	−.06	08	−.05	[−.23, .09]	.00
	Self-Stigma	−.52	.16	−.26***	[−.85, −.20]	.06
	Emotional Expressivity	.31	.12	.19*	[.03, .72]	.04

Β = standardised regression coefficient; sr² = squared semi-partial correlations. Statistical significance: *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Table

Step	Variable	B	SE	β	95% CI	sr^2	R^2	R^2 (Δ)
External Event
Step 1	Age	.25	.30	.08	[−.35, .85]	.00	.00
	Sexual Orientation	−.05	.32	−.01	[−.69, .58]	.00
	Relationship Status	−.08	.26	−.02	[−.61, .43]	.00
Step 2	Age	.33	.24	.01	[−.21, .80]	.00	.41***	.41***
	Sexual Orientation	.29	.25	.07	[−.21, .80]	.00
	Relationship Status	−.19	.21	.06	[−.61, .22]	.00
	Attitude	.38	.07	.35***	[.18, .48]	.12
	Subjective Norm	.08	.12	.05	[−.16, .32]	.00
	Prototype Similarity	.35	.07	.39***	[.21, .50]	.14
	Prototype Favourability	−.05	.08	−.05	[−.22, .10]	.00
Step 3	Age	.31	.23	.10	[−.16, .78]	.00	.44***	.02***
	Sexual Orientation	.28	.25	.05	[−.70, .16]	.00
	Relationship Status	−.27	.21	−.08	[−.70, .16]	.01
	Attitude	.27	.07	.29**	[.12, .43]	.08
	Subjective Norm	.05	.12	.03	[−.19, .29]	.00
	Prototype Similarity	.34	.07	.36***	[.19, .47]	.14
	Prototype Favourability	−.09	08	−.08	[−.25, .07]	.00
	Self-Stigma	−.20	.15	.12	[−.07, −.47]	.01
	Emotional Expressivity	.20	.13	−.10	[−.51, .10]	.01
Internal Feeling State
Step 1	Age	.04	.32	.01	[−.60, .69]	.00	.02
	Sexual Orientation	−.64	.34	−.15	[−.13, .04]	.00
	Relationship Status	.02	.28	.00	[−.53, .58]	.00
Step 2	Age	.11	.23	.03	[−.43, .65]	.00	.31***	.28***
	Sexual Orientation	−.31	.30	.07	[−.90, .28]	.00
	Relationship Status	−.04	.24	−.01	[−.53, .44]	.00
	Attitude	.31	.08	.30***	[.13, .48]	.08
	Subjective Norm	.14	.14	.08	[−.13, .48]	.01
	Prototype Similarity	.31	.08	.31***	[.14, .48]	.08
	Prototype Favourability	−.13	.09	−.10	[−.32, .06]	.01
Step 3	Age	.08	.27	.02	[−.45, .62]	.00.36 **	.05**
	Sexual Orientation	−.41	.29	−.10	[−.98, .16]	.01
	Relationship Status	−.19	.25	−.05	[−.69, .30]	.01
	Attitude	.21	.09	.21**	[.03, .39]	.04
	Subjective Norm	.08	14	.05	[−.19, .38]	.08
	Prototype Similarity	.27	.08	.28***	[.11, .44]	.07
	Prototype Favourability	−.17	.09	−.14	[−.36, .01]	.02
	Self-Stigma	−.23	.18	−.10	[−.59, .12]	.01
	Emotional Expressivity	.38	.15	.20*	[.05, .68]	.03

Β = standardised regression coefficient; sr² = squared semi-partial correlations.

Statistical significance: *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Table

Step	Variable	B	SE	β	95% CI	sr^2	R^2	R^2 (Δ)
External Event
Step 1	Age	.48	.30	.16	[−.10, .98]	.01	.02
	Sexual Orientation	−.19	.32	.05	[−.43, .83]	.00
	Relationship Status	−.35	.29	−.11	[−.36, .67]	.00
Step 2	Age	.33	.22	.10	[.20, −.17]	.01	.33***	.30***
	Sexual Orientation	.42	.27	.11	[−.11, .96]	.01
	Relationship Status	.04	.22	.01	[−.39, .48]	.00
	Attitude	.27	.07	.25***	[.10, .41]	.06
	Subjective Norm	.39	.11	.19*	[.06, .53]	.04
	Prototype Similarity	.29	.07	.30	[.15, .42]	.10
	Prototype Favourability	.03	.08	.03	[.13, .21]	.00
Step 3	Age	.35	.35	.11	[−.14, .82]	.01	.36*	.03*
	Sexual Orientation	.33	.26	.08	[−.20, .86]	.01
	Relationship Status	.00	.22	.01	[−.44, .45]	.00
	Attitude	.23	.09	.21**	[.05, .39]	.04
	Subjective Norm	.20	.12	.14	[−.01, .45]	.01
	Prototype Similarity	.25	.07	.26**	[.10, .39]	.08
	Prototype Favourability	−.02	.08	−.20	[−.20, .15]	.02
	Self-Stigma	−.35	.18	−.17	[−.73, −.01]	.01
	Emotional Expressivity	.14	.11	.08	[−.13, .44]	.00
Internal Feeling State
Step 1	Age	−.08	.30	−.02	[−.68, .50]	.00	.01
	Sexual Orientation	−.05	.31	−.10	[−.68, .54]	.00
	Relationship Status	−.35	.26	.11	[−.16, .45]	.01
Step 2	Age	.26	.25	−.08	[−.75, .26]	.00	.31***	.30***
	Sexual Orientation	−.16	.23	.04	[−.36, .70]	.00
	Relationship Status	−.24	.22	.08	[−.19, .44]	.00
	Attitude	.25	.08	.23***	[.08, .45]	.05
	Subjective Norm	.30	.11	.19**	[.07, .54]	.04
	Prototype Similarity	.29	.07	.31***	[.15, .46]	.10
	Prototype Favourability	.03	.08	.03	[−.13, .21]	.01
Step 3	Age	.19	.24	.06	[−.67, .27]	.00.41***	.09***
	Sexual Orientation	.02	.24	.00	[−.47, .53]	.00
	Relationship Status	.15	.21	.05	[−.47, .53]	.01
	Attitude	.18	.08	.17*	[.01, .35]	.03
	Subjective Norm	.18	.11	.11	[−.04, .40]	.01
	Prototype Similarity	.22	.07	.23***	[.08, .35]	.06
	Prototype Favourability	−.06	.07	−.05	[−.22, .54]	.01
	Self-Stigma	−.53	.17	−.26**	[−.87, .20]	.06
	Emotional Expressivity	.28	.13	.18*	[.02, .54]	.03

Β = standardised regression coefficient; sr² = squared semi-partial correlations.

Statistical significance: *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.