Young helpline callers and difference: exploring gender, ethnicity and sexuality in helpline access and provision

This article, which has its origin in a feasibility study carried out for three youth telephone helplines, focuses on gender, difference and helpline access by young people. During the research process the writers noted that for the three commissioning helplines, as is the case with the majority of other telephone helplines, approximately two‐thirds of callers are female. A helpline for young Muslims where the gender access ratio was 50/50 stood out as being different in this respect. Until recently, literature on gender and help‐seeking has tended towards making a blanket identification of males as experiencing difficulties in negotiating pathways to help. Although this difficulty of males is evident in relation to both help‐seeking and access to helplines, our study suggests that, at least in relation to helpline usage, when we take culture, ethnicity and sexuality into account, the help‐seeking situation may be more nuanced. This has implications in terms of enabling a cross‐section of young people to access helplines as well as with regard to helpline service development.     

Beliefs underlying stress reduction and depression help-seeking among college students: An elicitation study

Objective: This study illustrates how a theory-based approach can identify college students’ beliefs about stress reduction activities and help-seeking for depression. These beliefs are the basis for intervention design. Participants: A sample of 53 undergraduate students at a public university in the Midwest participated in this research during March 2016. Methods: An open-ended belief elicitation survey was administered online. Beliefs were identified through qualitative thematic analyses. Results: Exercise was students’ most preferred stress reduction activity. Beliefs about exercise emphasized physical benefits yet also not having time for exercise. Beliefs about help-seeking for depression emphasized treatment efficacy, support from others, stigma, and time constraints. Conclusions: Whereas beliefs about positive outcomes inform educational and motivational messages, beliefs about time constraints underscore the need to also consider structural factors that can help students find time to attend to their well-being.     

城乡困难家庭的求助网络及其政策启示

文章使用“城乡困难家庭调查”2014年跟踪数据,对我国城乡困难家庭的求助网络结构和家庭因素进行分析,发现：血缘和亲缘关系仍是我国城乡困难家庭最天然的帮扶网络,但官方社会救助系统的作用已超过民间系统,邻里朋友仅在血亲和官方系统失灵时起补充作用;基层治理结构对求助网络的城乡差异产生影响,流动人口家庭求助网络呈现多元均衡的特征,但面临官方救助系统的制度性缺失;人口规模、低保资格两个家庭因素对城乡困难家庭求助网络有显著影响。文章认为,应进一步发挥社会力量的作用,针对我国城乡困难家庭建立官民并举、多元协作的社会救助政策体系。     

Perception of Substance Use Problems in Asian American Communities by Chinese,Indian, and Vietnamese American Youth

SUMMARY

The study was a cross-sectional survey using a convenience sample of 87 Asian American youth respondents to examine their perceptions of substance use problems in the Asian American community. The authors examined respondents' perceptions of the severity of substance use problems in the Asian American community, perceived characteristics of persons with problems of substance use, perceived etiology of substance use problems, beliefs about treatment, perceived help-seeking preferences and helpful services. The youth demonstrated an increased awareness of the severity of substance use problems in the community, although such awareness was more prominent for drinking problems than drug use problems. Respondents showed a positive attitude toward treatment, although such an attitudinal change was not yet accompanied by a change in their behavioral preferences. Findings suggested a tendency for Asian American youth respondents to utilize personal resources rather than professional help or formal treatment programs in response to substance use problems. In addition, respondents shared similar “myths” of Asian problem drinkers and drug users. Implications for developing culturally relevant interventions for prevention and treatment as well as future research are discussed.     

A constructivist approach to the help-seeking process of clients: A response to cultural diversity

The issue of cultural diversity presents clinicians with both delemmas and opportunities. To deal with such a challenge, I have proposed a constructivist approach to the help-seeking process of clients from diverse ethnoracial backgrounds. A model of clients' help-seeking processes provides a useful and systematic frame for clinicians to understand clients' construction of their problem situations and possible solutions. It provides a useful key for clinicians non-presumptuously to understand clients' subjective experiences, and to enhance clients' ability to resolve problems.     

Help-seeking behaviors and attitudes of emerging adults: How college students reporting recent suicidal ideation utilize the internet compared to traditional resources

Abstract

Objective: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among emerging adults, yet little is known regarding their online help-seeking. Participants: The National Research Consortium of Counseling Centers in Higher Education's dataset (N=26,292). Methods: Students across the United States were recruited from 73 four-year institutions to participate during the 2010–2011 school year. Results: Observed the effectiveness of online and traditional help-seeking stratified by recent suicidal ideation related to their most distressful period in the past year. Females and younger students endorsed both types of help-seeking, yet those with recent ideation were less likely to disclose any help-seeking. Among those reporting recent ideation, only females reported that traditional supports were more than moderately helpful. Regardless of whether students endorsed ideation, students who were younger, engaged in risky behaviors and identified as females reported that online resources were more than moderately helpful. Conclusions: Online resources could potentially bridge barriers to traditional help-seeking for those reluctant to seek out care, yet traditional resources were reported to be the most effective among this sample.     

Experience of Racism as a Correlate of Developmental and Health Outcomes Among Urban Adolescent Mental Health Clients

Summary

Correlates of race/ethnicity and perceived racism among 760 urban, predominantly Hispanic/Latino and African-American, adolescent mental health clients were investigated using an exploratory, clinical data-mining approach. All racial/ethnic groups reported substantial rates of racism, ranging from 80.0% for Asian/Pacific Islanders to 32.4% for Hispanic/Latinos. Racism was associated with significantly elevated environmental risk (e.g., violence, sexual abuse or assault, exposure to drug use), behavioral risk (e.g., drug use) and worry (e.g., worry about hurting self or others, worry about doing dangerous things). Overall, racism was significantly associated with more negative health and well-being outcomes than ability to get a gun, sexual orientation, and being enrolled in school. The authors conclude that experience of racism should be routinely assessed at intake to mental health services along with traumatic experiences such as physical or sexual abuse.     

Multiple Risks,Multiple Worries,and Adolescent Coping

Summary

To describe the process that clinicians use to engage vulnerable urban adolescents in mental health counseling, the authors propose a tri-partite model of clinical engagement that takes into account: (1) consumer preference; (2) risk and worry; and (3) youth development (YD) perspectives. These conceptual lenses embody what adolescents want to talk about, their exposure to behavioral and environmental risks, and their coping and strengths. Based on responses given by urban adolescents seeking mental health services to a clinical self-assessment questionnaire (Adquest), this paper uses this tripartite model to summarize patterns of risk that service applicants experience, what they worry about, and how they cope. It explores the substructure of adolescent risk and vulnerability, through factor analysis of relevant items across a broad range of Adquest life areas, to develop a typology of adolescents by risk and worry. Patterns of coping and desire to talk across a range of life areas within this typology are described, as are the practice implications. The authors conclude that even those adolescents who most concern clinicians—because they have high environmental and behavioral risk and low worry-present many different opportunities for engagement.     

新生代农民工心理问题与求助行为研究

新生代农民工作为城市建设和经济发展的重要力量。其心理健康直接关系到社会和谐与稳定。本文以新生代农民工的心理问题与求助行为为研究视角,通过描述分析发现,新生代农民工心理问题频繁且很少主动求助。基于这一现象,本文进一步采用回归分析考察其心理问题和求助行为的影响因素,并对其进行分性别检验。研究发现,年龄、健康、工作时间、企业管理水平、社会排斥等变量影响显著,且其中一些因素存在性剐差异。基于研究结论．本文提出旨在缓解新生代农民工心理问题的若干思考。