Feelings of Not Mattering, Perceived Stigmatization for Seeking Help, and Help-Seeking Attitudes among University Studen

  • PDF / 273,160 Bytes
  • 10 Pages / 439.37 x 666.142 pts Page_size
  • 102 Downloads / 199 Views

DOWNLOAD

REPORT


Feelings of Not Mattering, Perceived Stigmatization for Seeking Help, and Help-Seeking Attitudes among University Students Amy Shannon 1 & Gordon L. Flett 1 & Joel O. Goldberg 1

# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019

Abstract

Previous research has linked feelings of not mattering to other people with mental health difficulties. While the link between feelings of not mattering and maladjustment has been extensively documented, little research has tested the possibility that this sense of not mattering is also associated with mental illness stigma. The present study tested the hypothesis that deficits in mattering are associated with perceived stigma and less willingness to seek help. We evaluated the associations among mattering, perceived stigmatization for seeking help, self-stigma, and attitudes towards seeking help in a sample of 140 undergraduate students. Our analyses confirmed that feelings of not mattering are associated with perceived stigmatization by others for seeking help. However, levels of mattering were not linked with help-seeking attitudes or self-stigma for seeking help. Overall, our results suggest that individuals who feel as though they do not matter may be especially vulnerable to perceptions of being stigmatized and this may promote a tendency for people to avoid seeking help and perhaps isolate themselves from others. Implications for intervention and future research are explored. Keywords Mattering . Mental illness . Stigma . Help-seeking attitudes . Treatment seeking In recent years, there has been growing awareness of the negative impact of the stigma experienced and encountered by people with a mental illness. Fortunately, there has been increased understanding and sensitivity due to the creation of anti-stigma campaigns and a greater awareness of the need for a sensitive approach to mental illness. These advances notwithstanding, stigma still exists and there is a continuing need for a greater understanding of the factors linked with the experience. In the current study, we sought to advance understanding by considering the possible link between perceived stigma and feelings of not mattering to other people. Mattering is a

* Amy Shannon [email protected]

1

Psychology Department, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction

relatively neglected concept in the psychological literature that is highly relevant to life outcomes; the mattering construct is Bdouble-edged^ in the sense that it protects people who feel like they are significant and matter to others, but it makes people vulnerable when they feel that they are insignificant and unimportant to others (for a discussion, see Flett 2018). As indicated below, perceptions of not mattering are associated with various adjustment difficulties. The current research extends the scope by considering feelings of not mattering and perceived stigma. This proposed association reflects the presumed role of experiencing unsupportive interactions in heightening