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Research Review: Help‐seeking intentions, behaviors, and barriers in college students – a systematic review and meta‐analysis.

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Title: Research Review: Help‐seeking intentions, behaviors, and barriers in college students – a systematic review and meta‐analysis.
Authors: Zhao, Ruiying, Amanvermez, Yagmur, Pei, Julia, Castro‐Ramirez, Franchesca, Rapsey, Charlene, Garcia, Claudia, Ebert, David D., Haro, Josep Maria, Fodor, Liviu A., David, Oana A., Rankin, Osiris, Chua, Sook Ning, Martínez, Vania, Bruffaerts, Ronny, Kessler, Ronald C., Cuijpers, Pim
Source: Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry. Oct2025, Vol. 66 Issue 10, p1593-1605. 13p.
Subjects: Mental illness treatment, Medical information storage & retrieval systems, Research funding, Help-seeking behavior, Meta-analysis, Systematic reviews, MEDLINE, Intention, School mental health services, College students, Student attitudes, Online information services, Psychology information storage & retrieval systems
Abstract: Background: The prevalence of mental health problems among college students has increased over the past decade. Even when mental health services are available, many students still struggle to access these services. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to identify the rates at which students actively seek or consider using formal help and to determine the main reasons for not seeking help. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase to identify studies on help‐seeking behaviors, intentions, and barriers to help‐seeking among college students with mental health problems. Random effect models were used to calculate the pooled proportions. Results: Of the 8,919 identified studies, 62 met the inclusion criteria and were included (n = 53 on help‐seeking behaviors, n = 21 on help‐seeking intentions, and n = 14 on treatment barriers). The pooled prevalence of active help‐seeking behaviors was 28% (179,915/435,768 individuals; 95% CI: 23%–33%, I2 = 99.6%), and the aggregated prevalence of help‐seeking intentions was 41% (62,456/80161 individuals; 95% CI: 26%–58%, I2 = 99.8%). Common barriers reported by students included a preference to address issues on their own, time constraints, insufficient knowledge of accessible resources, and a perceived lack of need for professional help. Conclusions: The findings highlight the gap between the mental health needs of the students and their actual help‐seeking rates. Although personal barriers are common, systemic or contextual challenges also affect college students' help‐seeking behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Research Review: Help‐seeking intentions, behaviors, and barriers in college students – a systematic review and meta‐analysis.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhao%2C+Ruiying%22">Zhao, Ruiying</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amanvermez%2C+Yagmur%22">Amanvermez, Yagmur</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pei%2C+Julia%22">Pei, Julia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Castro‐Ramirez%2C+Franchesca%22">Castro‐Ramirez, Franchesca</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rapsey%2C+Charlene%22">Rapsey, Charlene</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Garcia%2C+Claudia%22">Garcia, Claudia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ebert%2C+David+D%2E%22">Ebert, David D.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Haro%2C+Josep+Maria%22">Haro, Josep Maria</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fodor%2C+Liviu+A%2E%22">Fodor, Liviu A.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22David%2C+Oana+A%2E%22">David, Oana A.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rankin%2C+Osiris%22">Rankin, Osiris</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chua%2C+Sook+Ning%22">Chua, Sook Ning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Martínez%2C+Vania%22">Martínez, Vania</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bruffaerts%2C+Ronny%22">Bruffaerts, Ronny</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kessler%2C+Ronald+C%2E%22">Kessler, Ronald C.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cuijpers%2C+Pim%22">Cuijpers, Pim</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Child+Psychology+%26+Psychiatry%22">Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry</searchLink>. Oct2025, Vol. 66 Issue 10, p1593-1605. 13p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+illness+treatment%22">Mental illness treatment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+information+storage+%26+retrieval+systems%22">Medical information storage & retrieval systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Help-seeking+behavior%22">Help-seeking behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Meta-analysis%22">Meta-analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Systematic+reviews%22">Systematic reviews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22MEDLINE%22">MEDLINE</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intention%22">Intention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+mental+health+services%22">School mental health services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+students%22">College students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+attitudes%22">Student attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Online+information+services%22">Online information services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+information+storage+%26+retrieval+systems%22">Psychology information storage & retrieval systems</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: The prevalence of mental health problems among college students has increased over the past decade. Even when mental health services are available, many students still struggle to access these services. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to identify the rates at which students actively seek or consider using formal help and to determine the main reasons for not seeking help. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase to identify studies on help‐seeking behaviors, intentions, and barriers to help‐seeking among college students with mental health problems. Random effect models were used to calculate the pooled proportions. Results: Of the 8,919 identified studies, 62 met the inclusion criteria and were included (n = 53 on help‐seeking behaviors, n = 21 on help‐seeking intentions, and n = 14 on treatment barriers). The pooled prevalence of active help‐seeking behaviors was 28% (179,915/435,768 individuals; 95% CI: 23%–33%, I2 = 99.6%), and the aggregated prevalence of help‐seeking intentions was 41% (62,456/80161 individuals; 95% CI: 26%–58%, I2 = 99.8%). Common barriers reported by students included a preference to address issues on their own, time constraints, insufficient knowledge of accessible resources, and a perceived lack of need for professional help. Conclusions: The findings highlight the gap between the mental health needs of the students and their actual help‐seeking rates. Although personal barriers are common, systemic or contextual challenges also affect college students' help‐seeking behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/jcpp.14145
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Mental illness treatment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical information storage & retrieval systems
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      – SubjectFull: Research funding
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      – SubjectFull: Help-seeking behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Meta-analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Systematic reviews
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      – SubjectFull: MEDLINE
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      – SubjectFull: Intention
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      – SubjectFull: School mental health services
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      – SubjectFull: College students
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      – SubjectFull: Online information services
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      – SubjectFull: Psychology information storage & retrieval systems
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