Predictors of help-seeking behavior: Distinction between help-seeking intentions and help-seeking behavior

Abstract

The overall goals of this research were to: (a) examine whether help-seeking intentions, subjective needs, depressive symptoms, and social support can predict actual help-seeking behavior; and (b) clarify the moderating effects of social support on help-seeking behavior using a longitudinal design. University students (N=370) completed questionnaires that measured social support, subjective needs, depressive symptoms, and help-seeking intentions during Time1, and questionnaires that measured actual help-seeking behavior during Time2. Only subjective needs showed a positive effect on both help-seeking intentions and actual help-seeking behavior. Although depressive symptoms had a negative effect on help-seeking intentions, they had a positive effect on actual help-seeking behavior. Moreover, social support had a positive effect on help-seeking intentions, and moderated the influence of subjective needs on actual help-seeking behavior. Simple slope analysis indicated that subjective needs did not facilitate help-seeking behavior among those with low levels of social support.