Exploring a model of help-seeking for depression among New Zealand adolescents in schools and youth health centres: how do they seek help and who do they turn to for help?

Abstract

The present study was a systematic investigation of a model of help-seeking for depression in adolescence. The presented model was based on the theoretical framework postulated by Cauce and colleagues (Cauce et al., 2002; Srebnik et al., 1996). In a sample of 214 New Zealand adolescents (14-18 years) from schools and Youth Health Centres, help-seeking for depression was investigated on two levels, considering the effects of gender, age, ethnicity, and group status (i.e., school vs. youth health centre). First, self-reported depression and help-seeking were assessed. As hypothesised, the majority of adolescents had experienced depression and had preferred informal sources over formal sources of help. Males from schools reported the lowest rates of depression and help-seeking. As predicted, regression analyses showed that with increasing severity, adolescents sought help more often from professional sources and they found informal sources less useful. Second, a mediation model of help-seeking for depression was tested. Path model analyses confirmed that the proposed model adequately described adolescent help-seeking behaviour, in that the importance and the likelihood of help-seeking greatly mediated the effect of depression on adolescents' inclination to seek help. Path analyses further showed that when experiencing severe depression, adolescents did not consider seeking help from friends and they were less inclined to seek help from professionals, but they were more inclined to seek help from parents. The current study confirmed that adolescents feel more comfortable seeking help in an environment that fosters a positive attitude towards mental health issues, in particular for young men. These findings emphasise the need for a greater number of health services specialising in youth issues. The benefit of such services was highlighted and the need for further research specifically aimed at adolescents using these services was discussed.