Mental health of young Brazilians: Barriers to professional help-seeking

• Main Authors: Cláudia Cristina FUKUDA, Maria Aparecida PENSO, Deise Matos do AMPARO, Bruno Coimbras de ALMEIDA, Camila de Aquino MORAIS
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas
• Series: Estudos de Psicologia (Campinas)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Mental health; Mental health services; Therapeutics
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-166X2016000200355&lng=en&tlng=en

The present study investigated the perception of young Brazilians of professional help and barriers to seeking mental health services. A total of the 1,030 questionnaires were administered to young people aged 8-21 years of both genders attending public and private school or who had received or were receiving treatement at mental health facilities in three Brazilian cities. The data were evaluated using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and comparison between means. The results showed fear of stigmatization as a major barrier to seeking mental health treatment, exerting greater impact than that of structural barriers. Regional differences influenced their perception of the treatment. Having undergone previous mental health treatment was found to be related to a greater perception of the positive effects of the treatment and the structural barriers to accessing care services. It was found that the onset of mental disorders usually occurs during early adolescence. School-related issues, anxiety, fear, and depression were the most common reasons for mental health treatment seeking among young people.