Background: This grounded theory study explored the views of adolescent boys aged 12 and 13 on the factors that influence their help-seeking decisions for less severe forms of psychological distress. Method: Semi-structured interviews with 12 participants from a local secondary school and a community setting were analysed according to grounded theory methods. The data analysis abstracted categories of data to construct a substantive theory of helpseeking. Results: Participants’ views revealed an interaction of ‘pressures and promoters’ that affected adolescent boys’ help-seeking decisions. These related to relationships with others, mental health support and education, being a boy, and individual factors. Conclusion: Mental health education and awareness should be promoted amongst adolescent boys and the adults and professionals that they encounter so that they may be encouraged to seek help for psychological distress.

The thesis looks at developing a new model for a mental health support program which is integrated into a natural recreational environment. Its starting point is Beginning Again, a registered charity in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, which provides a supportive workplace, called Treasures, to engage psychiatric patients in meaningful and productive work. The intent of the thesis is to develop an architecture that reflects the mission and objectives of the program in order to increase the opportunity for recovery and interaction with the local community. This is done by creating a more general prototype or “parent seed” which can be applicable to many locations and then testing the model by planting it in the Oak Ridges Corridor Park, located in the suburban community of Oak Ridges, Ontario. This thesis builds upon the long history of rehabilitative environments to create a community model of care that regards work as primarily a social and cultural activity.

This qualitative case study describes the disparate experiences of how three siblings reacted and were affected by their father's suicide death. Specifically, through individual interviews, this study explores the siblings' individual memories, emotions, and perceptions of support connected with the time directly before and after their father's death. In addition, the researchers considered the long-term effects of their father's death by suicide as lived by the sibling survivors. In seeking to understand the siblings' experiences, this study also explores each sibling's reaction as they were presented with a group of children's picture books that were developed to help children express their emotions and are used by therapists who counsel with children bereaved by suicide. Findings suggested that, although the siblings shared the trauma of the father's suicide, each had different perceptions and experiences surrounding that trauma; they also reacted differently to the books presented to them. Implications for practice for teachers, parents, and school-based mental health practitioners (e.g., school psychologist and school counselors) are provided. These implications include the importance of knowing the specifics of each child's perceptions and providing supportive interventions that match the individual child's needs. Also, when selecting therapeutic books to share with a grieving child, consider presenting options and allowing the child to select a book. Also, be aware that a book that is preferred by one child, may not be preferred by another. Additionally, certain pictures included in children's books may trigger memories of the parent's suicide that could potentially further traumatize the child.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The rate of suicide attempts among veterans in the United States has increased tremendously since 2001, which has left the Department of Veterans Affairs deeply concerned. The purpose of this study was to examine if there is an association between suicide attempts among African American/Black veterans and mental health support, income level, marital status, education level, and unemployment status. This quantitative study used the socio-ecological model to explain the association of the contributing factors to suicide attempts. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and logistic regression were used to analyze the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. The publicly available dataset contains 55,271 cases with 6,698 Blacks/African American in the study. The findings of the study show 20% of African American veterans who seek support received it and 80% did not in suicide attempts among African American/ Blacks veterans and mental health support, income level, marital status, education level and unemployment status. The study showed there is a need for greater support for African American veterans through either policy or access to more mental health care. The social change implication is that need to be greater advocacy for support for African Americans who experience suicidal thought seeking support. Providing the support, they need can possibly help save lives.