Examining cultural identity and media use as predictors of intentions to seek mental health information among Chinese

Abstract

Mental health is a stigmatized issue in many parts of the world. We conducted a survey of Chinese adults (n = 661) to examine predictors of intentions to seek information related to mental health. Attitudes and subjective norms positively influenced intentions to seek mental health information, with subjective norms being a stronger predictor. Cultural identity was negatively associated with intentions to seek mental health information, with participants who held a stronger cultural identity being less likely to seek information related to mental health. Media use was positively associated with intentions to seek information. This research highlights that cultural identity may influence mental health information seeking, and that health campaigns could focus more on influencing subjective norms, thereby changing the seeking intention of Chinese adults regarding mental health information. Additionally, practitioners may want to explore possible ways of providing health information to people with strong cultural identity, as they may be less likely to seek out information on their own.