Personality-related factors as predictors of help-seeking for depression: a population-based study applying the Behavior
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Personality-related factors as predictors of help-seeking for depression: a population-based study applying the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use Georg Schomerus • Katja Appel • Peter J. Meffert Melanie Luppa • Ronald M. Andersen • Hans J. Grabe • Sebastian E. Baumeister
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Received: 24 September 2012 / Accepted: 11 December 2012 Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012
Abstract Background Although the prevalence of mental disorders and the demand for mental health services are increasing, little is known about the impact of personality-related factors on help-seeking among depressive individuals. We, therefore, investigated the relationship between the ‘‘Big Five’’ personality traits, resilience, alexithymia, childhood neglect or abuse, and help-seeking among depressive individuals. Methods We used data from 354 persons with a diagnosis of major depression from the population-based cohort
G. Schomerus K. Appel H. J. Grabe Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany G. Schomerus H. J. Grabe HELIOS Hanseklinikum Stralsund, Stralsund, Germany G. Schomerus (&) Department of Psychiatry, University of Greifswald, Rostocker Chaussee 70, 17437 Stralsund, Germany e-mail: [email protected] K. Appel Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany P. J. Meffert S. E. Baumeister Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany M. Luppa Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany R. M. Andersen Department of Health Policy and Management Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
study of health in Pomerania within the theoretical framework of the Andersen Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. Results Using stepwise regression techniques, we found that older age, higher education, more perceived social support, presence of childhood abuse, higher levels of conscientiousness, lower levels of resilience, and more severe depression were associated with help-seeking for depression. In contrast, gender, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, neuroticism, and alexithymia did not significantly predict help-seeking. In addition, no evidence for gender-specific effects was observed. Conclusion Personality-related predisposing factors are important predictors of help-seeking. The influence of resilience on help-seeking among depressed individuals merits further exploration. Keywords Help-seeking Mental illness Personality traits Resilience Social support
Introduction Failure to seek help for depression is a huge obstacle to effective mental health care. Epidemiological studies consistently show that about half of currently depressed persons do not receive any medical treatment [48]. Lifetime consultation rates for any mood disorder in European countries vary between 37 and 71 % [31]. Understanding the reasons why, in spite of effective methods of tr
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