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ABSTRACT
The current research explores young adults’ beliefs, awareness and understanding surrounding help-seeking behaviour in relation to barriers preventing access to counselling support. The literature suggests that several barriers, such as a lack of awareness, stigma and gender roles, will have a negative influence on help-seeking. To complement and expand on the substantial body of quantitative research on help-seeking, the present research undertook a qualitative, phenomenological study, in order to explore meaning and understanding in relation to help-seeking behaviours. The sample consisted of six college psychology students, who participated in one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Discourse analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts. The results suggested gender roles, awareness and perception of help, social and cultural expectations/norms, and risk of stigma and rejection, as the significant barriers to help-seeking behaviour. It is suggested that future research could focus on how to reduce these barriers, thus improving help-seeking opportunities for young adults.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Lynne Gabriel, my supervisor, whose encouragement, direction and enthusiasm helped motivate and carry me through to succeed, and recognise my own potential; Darren Seamark, my father, whose tireless efforts have afforded me both the time and the financial privilege to achieve further, and earlier, in my dream career; Irene Seamark, my mother, whose limitless support has aided in keeping me focused whilst juggling multiple responsibilities to achieve my goals; and finally, Carl Jones, my friend, colleague and constant source of high challenge and high support who both inspires and enrages my passions to see through another academic ‘dark night of the soul’.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Daniel Seamark is a practicing humanistic counsellor at York College and former postgraduate student of York St John University, with research interests in adolescent development, bullying and emotional abuse.
Lynne Gabriel is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at York St John University, with research interests in practice ethics, loss and bereavement, and the impact of aggression and domestic violence on children and young people (including young perpetrators).