Speaker
Description
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth, yet this group has low rates of mental health help-seeking. Previous reviews report determinant factors of mental health help-seeking of adolescent or young people with common mental health problem; however, to date, no such study has mapped mental health help-seeking among suicidal youth. This scoping review aims to identify definition of mental health help-seeking, the barriers and facilitators, as well as interventions to promote help-seeking among suicidal youth. Five electronic databases were searched: Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Search terms included mental health, help-seeking, youth, and suicidal thoughts. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts, as well as full papers. Data extraction from included studies was also performed by two independent reviewers or with an additional reviewer. Any conflicts that arose at each stage were resolved through discussion until consensus was reached. The extracted data were then synthesized narratively to present the main findings. Review of 30 included studies indicated that variations in defining mental health help-seeking among suicidal youth reflect the dimensions of help-seeking itself. Stigma and negative beliefs about mental health services appear as the most significant barriers to help-seeking for youth, whereas previous positive experiences with services and good mental health literacy are the most relevant facilitators. Several interventions have been developed to promote help-seeking for mental health problems in youth, and most of them take place in education settings. The findings of this review provide evidence-based support for initiating mental health programs focused on improving well-being, preventing disorders, and increasing access to treatment in educational settings. In the long term, integrating mental health programs into school or university settings is expected to create an inclusive environment that supports optimal lifelong development.
