Attitudes and Stigma Toward Seeking Psychological Help Among Saudi Adults

Abstract Background In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), public attitudes and stigma toward mental health illness seem to prevent people from seeking psychological help, which results in having a negative impact on an individual's life. The primary objective of this study was to investigate people's attitude toward seeking psychological help and identify the extent to which the associated stigma is responsible for preventing them from seeking psychological help. Methods Two hundred and eighteen adults recruited from the community living in the Eastern Province of KSA completed the questionnaires, customized to create the Arabic version of Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form (ATSPPH-SF-A), the Arabic version of Stigma Scale for Receiving Psychological Help (SSRPH-A), and the Arabic version of Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25-A). Results Both stigma and psychological distress significantly affected attitudes toward seeking professional help. Further, it indicated that attitudes were negatively correlated with stigma while positively correlated with psychological distress. No significant difference in attitudes toward psychological help-seeking was identified between male and female participants. However, males displayed higher levels of stigma, while females showed greater psychological distress. Furthermore, the groups who received psychological treatment demonstrated more favorable attitudes toward seeking psychological help. ConclusionStigma and psychological stress influence the attitudes toward treatment-seeking behavior for mental illness, making them two major predictors responsible for the underutilization of mental health services. More research is needed to assess specific sociodemographic disparities across more data sources and the factors that further contribute to the stigma and psychological distress.