The role of stigma, threat, and trust on support seeking among young people dealing with their own or a friend’s symptoms of mental illness

  • Sofia Milheiro Pimenta

Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

This thesis applied psychological theory to examine how young people seek support for their own or a friend’s symptoms of mental illness. Research has provided insight into the coping process when adolescents are dealing with mostly their own symptoms of mental illness. How a young person copes with a friend’s disclosure of mental illness is still somewhat unknown. In this thesis, one qualitative and two quantitative studies were carried out to explore the differences in young people coping when dealing with their own or with a friend’s symptoms of mental illness. A qualitative study with 11 young people aged 12 to 15 years old, examined the applicability of the Transactional Theory of Coping (TTC). An interview schedule was developed to capture the core concepts of the TTC: cognitive appraisals and coping strategies. Through the use of Thematic Analysis, results revealed that young people would employ different strategies when dealing with their own or with a friend’s symptoms. This study showed stigma, trust, and severity of symptoms as key factors when seeking support.Study 2 extended these findings by examining the influence of stigma, threat, and trust on support seeking. With a sample of 250 participants, this study used a multi-group path analysis and results confirmed differences in coping concerning one’s own, compared to a friend’s, symptoms. Threat, trust, and self-stigma were relevant when young people were seeking support for their own symptoms, while public-stigma played a significant role in support seeking for a friend’s symptoms. Finally, Study 3 built on the findings from the previous two studies by exploring lived-experiences of young people seeking support for their own or a friend’s symptoms of mental illness and aimed to investigate the role of perceived severity of symptoms on support seeking. Despite the limitations introduced by COVID-19 (e.g., a total sample size of 76), this survey-based study showed support for the influence of perceived severity of symptoms when young people dealt with a friend’s symptoms.This thesis suggests that different variables influence young people’s support seeking for their own or a friend’s symptoms of mental illness. Exploring a topic where research has been scarce (i.e., support seeking following a friend’s disclosure), allows for adjustments to the current services that support young people to be made accordingly. Thus, implications for research, theory, and practice are discussed in the thesis aiming to offer suggestions to improve support to young people.
Date of Award14 Dec 2022
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • University Of Strathclyde
SupervisorSusan Rasmussen (Supervisor) & Simon C. Hunter (Supervisor)

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