EPIUnit - Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Portugal; Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Porto, Portugal.
EPIUnit - Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Portugal; Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Porto, Portugal.
Psychiatry Res. 2024 Jan;331:115673. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115673. Epub 2023 Dec 10.
Stigma is one of the most frequently identified help-seeking barriers, but there is a lack of research on the effects of stigma reduction interventions on actual mental health help-seeking behaviors during crucial academic years. This research explores the effects of stigma on university students' mental health care help-seeking behaviors before and during the pandemic.
A randomized control trial spanned from 2019 to 2021 at the University of Porto, along five evaluation moments, with students into one control group and two intervention groups-the interventions aimed to reduce depression stigma.
Among the 702 participants (mean age 18.87, 59.4 % female), the intervention groups significantly increased help-seeking behaviors. In 2020, the intervention groups, having reduced stigma, continued to demonstrate to be more prompt to seek mental health help. In 2021, 22 months, the effects of the intervention on help-seeking were no longer significant; however, participants in the intervention groups showed less severe symptomatology.
Stigma reduction interventions have a pronounced effect on enhancing help-seeking behaviors among university students, even during times of crisis. This study advocates for prioritizing stigma reduction in academic settings, highlighting its value in promoting mental health access during crucial academic and life challenges.
污名是最常被确定的寻求帮助障碍之一，但缺乏关于减少污名干预对关键学术期间实际心理健康寻求帮助行为的影响的研究。本研究探讨了污名对大学生心理健康护理寻求行为的影响，包括大流行前和大流行期间。
一项随机对照试验于 2019 年至 2021 年在波尔图大学进行，共进行了五个评估时刻，将学生分为对照组和两个干预组——旨在减少抑郁污名的干预措施。
在 702 名参与者中（平均年龄 18.87 岁，59.4%为女性），干预组的寻求帮助行为显著增加。在 2020 年，干预组减轻了污名，继续表现出更迅速地寻求心理健康帮助。在 2021 年，22 个月，干预对寻求帮助的影响不再显著；然而，干预组的参与者表现出较轻的症状。
减少污名的干预措施对增强大学生的寻求帮助行为有显著影响，即使在危机时期也是如此。本研究主张在学术环境中优先考虑减少污名，强调其在促进关键学术和生活挑战期间获得心理健康的价值。
