Intention of Psychological Counseling, Attitude Toward Seeking Psychological Help, and Shame Among Vocational College Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the psychological counseling intention of college students, the attitude of seeking psychological help, and the related factors of shame so as to promote the psychological health of college students.Methods: In 4 comprehensive colleges with sound psychological counseling centers, students of different grades were selected and divided into an active help-seeking group (n = 216) and a help-refusal group (n = 270). Students' shame behaviors were evaluated using the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH) scale and Self-Stigma Scale (SSS). The intention of psychological counseling was measured by the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire. The Inventory of Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services was used to evaluate the psychological status. Data from the above scales were compared through the t-test. Additionally, multiple linear regression analysis was performed to explore the impact of shame on the intention of psychological counseling.Results: The study found that the active help-seeking group scored lower on SSOSH scale compared to those in the help-refusal group (total score: 41.2 +/- 9.1 vs. 37.9 +/- 8.7, P = .0017). Meanwhile, the help-refusal group had higher scores on the shame dimension of the SSS (16.2 +/- 3.9 vs. 5.3 +/- 1.1, P = .00085). After adjusting for age, gender, and other variables, multiple linear regression analysis indicated a negative correlation between shame and intention of psychological help and counseling, revealing a significant impact of shame on professional psychological counseling (P < .05).Conclusion: Our study findings suggest that shame has a negative impact on the intention of seeking psychological help and counseling among college students, highlighting the importance of addressing shame-related factors to promote psychological health and encourage the utilization of professional psychological counseling services.