Psychometric properties of the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire in university students

Abstract

University students show a high prevalence of mental disorders and low levels of help-seeking for psychological problems. In Chile there are no valid and reliable measures of help-seeking intentions for this group. The aim of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the General Help Seeking Questionnaire, vignette version (GHSQ-V) in a sample of university students from southern Chile. Results indicate that the GHSQ-V is a valid instrument, with a two-factor structure that reflects the existence of two dimensions of help-seeking sources (formal and informal), for five mental health problems that are prevalent among university students. Adequate levels of internal consistency and evidence of convergent validity were shown, although variability was found between subscales. The current study confirms the importance of an accurate measurement of help seeking intentions in university students, for a better understanding of a highly relevant process for the treatment of mental health problems in this group.