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This study sought to investigate whether the popularity of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) would impact the behavioral intention (BI) to use of these technologies to aid in interpersonal task completion. Out of the ICTs available today, the most popular is textmessaging, especially among a sizable percentage of the college population. Approximately 600 students at a small, private junior college in eastern North Carolina were invited to participate in this study with a target of 248 responses needed to comprise an adequate sample. A total of 259 usable surveys (n = 259) were received and analyzed. Qualitative data collection instruments consisted of an openended questionnaire and other openended responses that were solicited throughout the data collection phase. Quantitative data collection instruments consisted of a 22item Likertscale survey and a forcedchoice ordinal scale instrument that measured computer user selfefficacy (CUSE) and experience using technology (EUT). Situated in the context of academic helpseeking (AHS), vignettes were developed, validated and administered to offer AHS scenarios where a problem was presented and the participants were then asked to reveal which type of ICT he or she would utilize to seek academic help (AH) in that particular situation.

I takt med att samhället förändras och antalet unga med psykisk ohälsa ökar utvecklas och förändras även de hjälpformar som finns tillgängliga för ungdomar med psykisk ohälsa. Internets framväxt har bland annat resulterat i att traditionella former av hjälp, där den unge möter den professionella ansikte mot ansikte, har kompletterats med onlinehjälp så som onlinechattar. Med hänsyn till denna utveckling syftar denna studie till att undersöka och jämföra ungdomars attityder till att söka hjälp hos kurator och via onlinechatt vid psykisk ohälsa. Detta har åstadkommits med hjälp av ett kvantitativt tillvägagångssätt där pappersenkäter använts som insamlingsmetod. Sammanlagt besvarades enkäterna av 223 högstadie- och gymnasieungdomar mellan 15-20 år i Stockholmsområdet. Studiens resultat visar att ungdomarna känner större tillit till kuratorer än onlinechattar. De är även mer positiva till att söka hjälp hos kurator än via onlinechatt vid psykisk ohälsa. Ungdomarna uppgav varierande svar på vad som påverkar deras attityder till att söka respektive hjälpform. Lättillgänglighet, tillit och kommunikationsform uppgavs vara de faktorer som främst påverkar deras vilja att söka hjälpa hos kurator medan brist på tillit och stigma främst påverkar deras ovilja att söka denna hjälpform. De respondenter som kunde tänka sig att söka hjälp via onlinechatt uppgav däremot lättillgänglighet och anonymiteten som främsta anledningar. Den majoritet som inte kunde tänka sig att söka hjälp via onlinechatt uppgav brist på tillit och kännedom samt kommunikationsform som främsta orsaker till att inte söka denna hjälpform. Studiens respondenter är inte bara mer positiva till att söka hjälp hos kurator än via onlinechatt vid psykisk ohälsa; de har dessutom mer erfarenhet av att söka denna hjälpform. De faktorer som ungdomarna upplevde som positiva och negativa med sina erfarenheter skiljde sig dock avsevärt från de faktorer som påverkade deras attityder till att söka respektive hjälpform. Ungdomarna uppmärksammade exempelvis den professionellas bemötande och om de fick hjälp med sitt problem som positiva och negativa faktorer som utmärkte deras erfarenheter. Generellt hade dock majoriteten av ungdomarna positiva erfarenheter av att söka hjälp hos både kuratorer och onlinechattar. / In pace with changes in society, and as the number of youth with mental illness increases, the forms of help available to youth with mental health issues also develop and change. The evolution of the internet, among other things, has resulted in traditional forms of help, where the one meets a professional face-to-face, being supplemented with online forms of help, such as online chats. In view of this development, this study aims to examine and compare the attitudes of young individuals towards seeking help for mental illnesses from a counselor and an online chat. This thesis will be accomplished using a quantitative approach where paper questionnaires are used as a data collection method. A total of 223 questionnaires were answered by adolescents aged 15-20 years in the Stockholm area. The study’s results show that respondents feel more secure with and trust towards a counselor’s help and are also more likely to seek this form of help than online chat.  Responses varied in regards to what affected attitudes toward each form of assistance, but ease of access, trust and the medium of communication was reported to be the main factors affecting willingness to seek the help of a counselor, while lack of trust and stigma were the main factors contributing to reluctance. The respondents who were willing to seek help from an online chat stated however that accessibility and anonymity were primary factors. The majority who could not imagine seeking such online assistance stated lack of confidence and awareness as well as medium of communication as the foremost explanations. The study also showed that respondents are not only more willing to seek help for mental illness from a counselor than through online chat; they also have more experience in seeking this type of support. The factors that respondents felt to be positive and/or negative with their experience differed considerably from those factors that influenced the respondents' attitudes toward seeking help from a counselor or an online chat. Respondents drew attention to factors like the professionals' attitude and whether they received help with his or her problem as factors that characterized their experiences. Generally, however, the majority of respondents’ had positive experiences of seeking help from both counselors and online chats.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Mental Health / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Mental Health / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Existing research and anecdotal accounts have consistently reported that Jewish people are positively inclined to seek treatment for mental health problems, including making use of psychiatric services and psychotherapy. However, much of this data has been based on samples of American Jewry and there appear to be no existing studies in the UK which have quantitatively investigated whether there are similar help seeking preferences for mental health problems amongst British Jewry. The present study investigated Jewish people’s attitudes and intentions to seek professional help for mental health problems and their experiences of seeking professional help in the UK. Using the theoretical framework of the Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975; Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980) the study also aimed to determine the strongest predictors of intentions and attempts to seek professional help, according to people’s attitudes, perceived social pressure, beliefs about the causes of mental illness and level of religiosity. The study included 126 Jewish people who were predominantly recruited from synagogues and community centres across the UK. Results indicated that a high percentage of this sample would be willing to see a mental health professional if they experienced a mental health problem. According to multiple regression analysis, attitudes towards seeking professional help and stress-related causal beliefs most strongly predicted intention to seek professional help. Despite the sample being non-clinically recruited, 63% of participants reported that they had experienced a mental health problem and the majority of these individuals had sought professional help in the past. Path analysis revealed that actual attempts to seek professional help were directly influenced by intention to seek professional help, perceived social pressure and supernatural causal beliefs. Given the high prevalence of mental health problems and use of professional mental health services amongst this sample, clinical considerations highlighted the need for preventative mental health strategies and culturally sensitive mental health services for Jewish people. Limitations of the study include the use of an opportunity sample which was unable to recruit members of the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.