Dan I. Lubman|Ali Cheetham|Anthony F. Jorm|Bonita J Berridge|Coralie J Wilson|Fiona Blee|Lisa McKay?Brown|Nicholas B. Allen|Jenny Proimos
Australian adolescents’ beliefs and help-seeking intentions towards peers experiencing symptoms of depression and alcohol misuse
Eastern Health|Eastern Health|University of Melbourne|Eastern Health|Monash University|Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute|Eastern Health|Monash University|University of Melbourne|Department of Education and Training
many young people reluctant seek professional help mental health problems preferring rely friends support therefore important ensure adolescents identify signs psychological distress peers talk help access appropriate services necessary current study examined adolescents ability recognise symptoms depression alcohol misuse perceived barriers helpseeking intentions encourage peer seek help range informal formal help sources current study used baseline data randomised controlled trial schoolbased intervention teaches adolescents overcome barriers accessing professional help mental health substance use problems makingthelink participants n 2456 presented two vignettes portraying depression alcohol misuse respectively asked identify problems described participants provided data past helpseeking behaviour confidence help peer perceived barriers helpseeking intentions encourage peer seek help health professionals main source help participants relied depressive symptoms followed friends parents contrast friends main source help participants relied alcohol drug problems followed health professionals parents half sample correctly identified problems described two vignettes although majority participants confident could talk peer help seek professional help needed agreed vignettes described problems warranted professional help however approximately half sample unsure considered unlikely would seek help experienced similar problems disorders participants likely encourage peer seek help family followed formal help sources friends results point towards greater willingness approach formal help sources particularly depression peers remain important source support young people experiencing mental health substance use problems