"Do They Chain Their Hands Up?" An Exploration of Young Men's Beliefs about Mental Health Services

Young men tend to be less likely to seek help for mental distress due to barriers including beliefs about mental health services. However, little research examines beliefs of men who have not accessed services. In the present study, ten young men who had not utilised services participated in intervi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:New Zealand journal of psychology (Christchurch. 1983) 2022-08, Vol.51 (2), p.4-14
Main Authors: Gallagher, Jake M, Tuffin, Keith, Ommen, Clifford van
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Attitudes
Behavior
Gender
Health care industry
Health education
Health literacy
Health services utilization
Help seeking behavior
Masculinity
Mental depression
Mental health care
Psychiatric services
Psychological aspects
Qualitative research
Sex roles
Social aspects
Suicides & suicide attempts
Young adults
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Summary:Young men tend to be less likely to seek help for mental distress due to barriers including beliefs about mental health services. However, little research examines beliefs of men who have not accessed services. In the present study, ten young men who had not utilised services participated in interviews regarding their beliefs about mental health treatment. Data were analysed with inductive thematic analysis within a social constructionist epistemology, resulting in five themes. Overall, participants expressed some trepidation about utilising services, and were aware that their knowledge was limited. Participants expressed a preference to fix problems independently, negative views about relying on prescription medication, and they likened talk-therapy to informal social support. Participants also acknowledged the limit of their beliefs, which were based on fictional depictions. It was concluded that better public education regarding treatment may reduce barriers to help-seeking.
ISSN:0112-109X