The Role of Non-stigmatizing Attitudes Toward Peers With Mental Health Problems in Shaping Adolescents’ Attitudes Toward Professional Psychological Help-Seeking

Psychiatr Q. 2026 May 1. doi: 10.1007/s11126-026-10289-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Stigma is a critical barrier to adolescents’ willingness to seek professional mental health support, yet less is known about whether non-stigmatizing attitudes toward peers with mental health problems are associated with adolescents’ help-seeking attitudes. This study examined correlates of adolescents’ attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. A sample of 686 Chinese adolescents (Mean age = 16.67 years, SD = 2.39 years; 55.2% were females) completed measures of depressive and anxiety symptoms, non-stigmatizing attitudes toward peers with mental health problems (perceived competence and social acceptance), and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that female adolescents reported more positive help-seeking attitudes compared to males. Higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms were associated with less favorable help-seeking attitudes. Notably, perceived competence positively predicted help-seeking attitudes, whereas social acceptance showed a negative association. The final regression model accounted for 13.1% of the variance in help-seeking attitudes. These findings suggest that adolescents’ help-seeking attitudes are shaped not only by emotional distress, but also by how psychological difficulties are understood and evaluated within the peer context. Interventions may benefit from addressing both emotional distress and peer-related stigma processes while fostering supportive environments that make professional help more acceptable and accessible to adolescents.

PMID:42065828 | DOI:10.1007/s11126-026-10289-0