An investigative study of the influence of religion on help seeking behaviors in the field of mental health
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The present study was undertaken to assess the influence of religion on help seeking behaviors regarding mental health. Participants (n = 167) were volunteers from three different churches of Christian denominations who anonymously completed questionnaires regarding their religiosity and their attitude toward seeking help from a mental health professional. Analysis of the data found that subjects who belonged to liberal denominations of Christianity were more likely to seek help from a mental health professional for mental health issues than subjects belonging to more traditionally conservative denominations of Christianity. The study also found that subjects belonging to conservative denominations of Christianity scored higher on an instrument assessing religiosity. Future efforts to bring the mental health and faith communities together must focus on factors of conservative faiths that may be deterring church members from seeking help for mental health issues.
Author: Kristen Darroch
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Rowan University
OpenAlex ID: W2307915742