Rationale
Previous literature has taken an expansive look at the attitudes and perceptions of mental health and seeking help. Further, extensive research has investigated the trends of family communication related to identity and support. To further this literature, this research seeks to describe the role that mental health stigma and self-identification of mental illness plays in influencing these constructs.
Research conducted by Hall and colleagues (2017) on the role of family support on family communication patterns indicates a positive association between the conversation-orientation and perceived family support. Therefore, it is expected that a relationship between family communication environment and social support. Based on the findings
On a seven-point rating scale, questions range from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), proposing that scores of zero assume lack of stigma. A sample item for counseling stigma is "It is a sign of personal weakness or inadequacy to receive treatment for emotional or mental problems." Supported by acceptable internal consistency (훼 = .73) and concurrent construct validity produced by comparison with the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help: Short Form (ATSPPH-SF), SSRPH testing indicates a negative relationship between scores; when participants indicate higher agreeableness towards stigma, they indicate lower agreeableness towards seeking professional help (Komiya et al., 2000). SSRPH will be utilized in preference over the ATSPPH-SF because it has less items, creating a better balance between measures throughout the
The SSOSH is a 10-item inventory designed to predict attitudes towards seeking professional help. Items are rated on a seven-point, Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Self-stigma is defined as an inherent decline in self-esteem or worth related to the personal labeling of the self as being inferior. This measure addresses whether the larger societal stigma towards seeking treatment impacts an individual's self-concept and satisfaction. A sample item is "It would make me feel inferior to ask a therapist for help." Scale construction was supported through five construct examination studies reporting high internal consistency (훼 = .89). These studies supported a positive relationship between the measure and perceived stigma and trends of concealment as well as a negative relationship with perceived benefits of seeking professional help and tendencies to reveal psychological or emotional distress to others (Vogel et al.,