Understanding mental health services and help-seeking behaviours among college students in Vietnam

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Mental health is a significant topic, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there is higher prevalence, there is less attention, to mental health problems among Asian college students, so the authors decided to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of mental health services and help-seeking behaviors in Vietnamese universities. By conducting this study, the authors hoped to contribute to current literature on the factors that contribute to professional mental health help-seeking behavior of college students in Vietnam and to suggest strategies to reduce possible barriers that prevent them from looking for professional medical help. DESIGN For this cross-sectional research, we first conducted a pilot study to test the reliability and validity of our measurements. We then made necessary adjustments and distributed the final questionnaires to a university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Collected data was analyzed through exploratory factor analysis RESULTS Results indicate that between psychological openness and help-seeking propensity, in our model, help-seeking propensity more significantly explains students' help-seeking behavioral intentions than the other two. CONCLUSIONS Using the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study examined predictors of professional mental health-seeking behavior among college students in Vietnam. Our findings indicated that help-seeking propensity significantly influences Vietnamese students' intention to obtain professional healthcare. Through this study, we suggested some guidance to the school administrators on the factors that encourage students to seek professional mental care.