TY - JOUR PY - 2000// TI - Impact of attitudes and suicidal ideation on adolescents' intentions to seek professional psychological help JO - Journal of Adolescence A1 - Carlton, P. A. A1 - Deane, Frank P. SP - 35 EP - 45 VL - 23 IS - 1 N2 - Few adolescents who experience significant psychological distress seek professional psychological help, a finding particularly pertinent in New Zealand which has one of the highest youth suicide rates in the world. In the present study, 221 New Zealand high school students completed a questionnaire which examined the relationship between a variety of approach and avoidance factors associated with professional psychological help-seeking. Suicidal ideation, attitudes, psychological distress, treatment fears, gender and prior help-seeking were significant predictors accounting for approximately 23% of students', self-rated help-seeking intentions. Contrary to expectations, higher levels of suicidal ideation led to lower levels of help-seeking intentions for suicidal thoughts. This findings is discussed in relation to the process of help-negation which has been identified in clinical suicidal samples. The implications of these findings for interventions that increase appropriate professional psychological help-seeking in adolescents are also discussed.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0140-1971 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jado.1999.0299 ID - ref1 ER -