SUMMARY

Although there is a worrying increase in mental health issues among

college students, many choose not to seek counselling because of
psychological stress. Some students may find it easier to adjust to college if
they have interpersonal coping skills and social support. Through the prism
of stigmatic theory, this study investigates how college students'
perceptions affect their usage of mental health counselling services. The
usage or non-use of counselling services by students is influenced by a
number of factors, including self-esteem, adaptive and maladaptive coping
strategies, perceived stress, and academic stress. While other
characteristics may diminish usage, adaptive coping, self-esteem,
academic self-efficacy, and social support may boost it. In order to better
understand the reasons that may lead to a decreased chance of seeking
counselling services, the research looks at how these factors may affect
students. One societal issue that influences the utilisation of professional
mental health counselling is the stigma theory. Negative elements of mental
illness, such as addiction, drug and alcohol abuse, and crime, are
frequently covered by the media. Because of this stigma, students may be
reluctant to seek counselling services because they fear becoming the
target of unfavourable opinions and social exclusion. Increased sadness,
avoidance coping mechanisms, and a decrease in the utilisation of
counselling services are all linked to higher levels of stress. Depression,
both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies, self-esteem, academic
self-efficacy, and social support are additional control factors that influence
students' usage of mental health counselling services. While students with
better self-esteem have positive attitudes about accessing counselling
services, higher depression levels are projected to predict reduced
utilisation of counselling services. 342 undergraduate students from a
regional institution in the Midwest who volunteered to participate in the
study were involved. Perceived stigma was the dependent variable, and
Britt (2000) and Britt et al. (2008) modelled it. According to the study,
students' usage of counselling services was impacted by higher levels of
stress that were linked to poorer levels of academic confidence. The study
discovered that academic self-efficacy, perceived stress, and stigma all had
an impact on students' views towards counselling services. The study
evaluated college students' coping mechanisms using the Rosenberg
self-esteem scale (RSE), the Brief Cope Inventory (BCI), and a 10-item
depression measure. The coping technique scale investigated both
dysfunctional and adaptive coping strategies, while the depression scale
tested the degree of depressed symptoms. The global self-esteem and its
predictor for counselling services were measured using the self-esteem
scale. The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) was utilised by the
social support scale to gauge pupils' social support levels. better scores
were linked to greater depressed symptoms and better levels of
self-esteem, according to the study. Additionally, the study discovered that
students who felt better about themselves were more likely to seek
counselling. The purpose of this study was to look at how stigma affects
students' usage of counselling. Race, nationality, and gender were
examples of control variables. Additionally, the study took into account
variables including GPA, religious activity, longer years in college, and
relationship status. While bivariate logistic regression analyses were
performed to determine the association between stigma and students'
usage of mental health counselling services, univariate analyses were
employed to find patterns and behaviours. The findings imply that the
usage of counselling may be impacted by stigma. The purpose of the study
was to compare the depression levels of students to national trends. It was
shown that compared to students with lower degrees of depression, those
with intermediate levels were more likely to seek mental health counselling.
In general, female students were more likely than male students to seek
counselling services, and students who were 26 years of age or older were
more likely to do so. However, compared to non-Caucasians, Caucasians
showed less interest in seeking mental health counselling. The study also
looked at stresses including academic stress and the relatively low
stigmatisation opinions of students. According to the findings, students who
had mild depression had a higher likelihood of using counselling services.
Although somewhat prevalent, adaptive coping strategies did not indicate
counselling services utilisation. Use of counselling was discovered. Males
and females were found to utilise counselling more frequently, but there
was no discernible difference in the propensity to use counselling services
between Caucasians and non-Caucasians. It is necessary to look more
closely at how different genders and cultural perspectives interpret
counselling services. According to the multivariate model, students who
were depressed also had higher rates of using counselling services and
more flexible coping mechanisms. Counselling usage was substantially
predicted by stigma, a theoretical component, with greater levels indicating
reduced likelihoods. According to this study, students' attitudes towards
mental health counselling are stigmatised, which has an impact on their
propensity to seek counselling services. This is partly explained by the
stigma hypothesis, and mental health counselling services have to be
portrayed in legislation as empowering rather than discriminating. Referring
to "mental illness" as "mental health" or "students wellness" as an
alternative might help lessen stigma and encourage candour among
students. Education in the classroom can contribute to a reduction in the
stigmatisation of mental health diagnosis and counselling. Another factor
that predicted students' propensity to seek counselling services was
depression. There was a positive correlation between students' usage of
adaptive coping strategies and their willingness to seek mental health
counselling. A few of these strategies included instrumental and
emotion-focused assistance, suggesting that students were more willing to
confide in one another and seek guidance from others. The study focuses
on how students' opinions about receiving mental health counselling are
influenced by societal stigma. It recommends that students should have
easy access to and visibility of university regulations pertaining to
confidentiality and privacy. Clearly worded recruitment materials that point
individuals in the direction of counselling services ought to be prominently
displayed on campus. It is possible to apply the knowledge gained from
studies aimed at lessening societal stigma to lessen stigmatising beliefs
connected to the perception of counselling willingness. For college
students, education and awareness-raising on flexible coping strategies are
required. Open forums for teaching students and educating them about
coping strategies that other students have found helpful should be included
in the expansion of counselling services. Future studies should use campus
students with rigorous random selection. Qualitative study on stigma and
mental health counselling among teachers, staff, and college students is
vital for the university. Thorough policy analysis has the potential to uncover
institutional bias and pinpoint policy change opportunities. Analysis of the
pre- and post-tests is essential to establishing relevance.
Roll no. 2275992017
Name: Mehak Pawar
BSC Clinical Psychology