The effectiveness of a risks and benefits based group intervention to increase positive attitudes toward seeking counseling

Author/Creator

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

2013-03-14

Department

Towson University. Department of Psychology

Program

Citation of Original Publication

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Copyright protected, all rights reserved.
There are no restrictions on access to this document. An internet release form signed by the author to display this document online is on file with Towson University Special Collections and Archives.

Subjects

Abstract

This study examined a one-session intervention aimed at changing attitudes toward seeking counseling and intent to seek counseling. The sample included 96 undergraduate students at a large eastern university. We used an intervention that focused on the anticipated risks and benefits of seeking counseling, using a video prompt and either an Individual Intervention or a Group Intervention. We hypothesized that the Group Intervention would increase positive attitudes toward seeking counseling and increase intent to seek professional psychological help. Results demonstrated that after exposure to both the individual and group intervention, there was an increase in anticipated benefits, positive attitudes toward seeking counseling, and intent to seek counseling. Results also indicated that the change in attitudes from pre-test to post-test accounted for 5% variance in post-test scores for perceived intention to seek help. Interestingly, Non- Caucasian participants in the group intervention showed a trend towards increased positive attitudes toward seeking counseling