Positive and negative emotions related to seeking help from a school counselor

This study explored emotions associated with help-seeking, as measured in secondary school students, school teachers and parents of secondary school students. Participants completed two questionnaires: Ishiyama's (2005) Professional Help-seeking Attitude Scale (PHAS) and a questionnaire on attitudes to seeking help from a school counselor, with regard to four types of problem (school, work, interpersonal and intimate). Findings show that all three groups of respondents felt negative emotions about help-seeking to a greater extent than positive emotions. Such negative emotions were more evident among males. However, the shift from a generally negative attitude to help-seeking to readiness to seek help in times of need was associated with the level of positive emotions about help-seeking, rather than the level of negative emotions about help-seeking. This is a call for mental health professionals to invest in changing attitudes to help-seeking among all populations related to school settings, including students, teachers and parents. It is further suggested that interventions that address reluctance to seek professional help should strive not only to relieve negative emotions, but also to foster positive emotions that can be associated with help-seeking.