Help-seeking for young rural males disengaged from education

Objective Young Australian males 15-to-24-years-old have a high prevalence of mental health disorders and suicide but are least likely to seek professional mental health support. Most help-seeking studies fail to consider young males who are disengaged from mainstream education. This research aims t...

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Main Authors: Julie C. Clark, Warren Bartik, Peter Smith, Kylie Rice
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Australian Journal of Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/00049530.2024.2430624
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author Julie C. Clark
Warren Bartik
Peter Smith
Kylie Rice
author_facet Julie C. Clark
Warren Bartik
Peter Smith
Kylie Rice
author_sort Julie C. Clark
collection DOAJ
description Objective Young Australian males 15-to-24-years-old have a high prevalence of mental health disorders and suicide but are least likely to seek professional mental health support. Most help-seeking studies fail to consider young males who are disengaged from mainstream education. This research aims to gain an enriched understanding about mental health literacy and help-seeking from the perspective of young rural males disengaged from mainstream education.Method Participants included sixteen males aged 15-to-24-years. All participants had disengaged from mainstream education and had experienced disadvantage. Qualitative methodology was employed using reflexive thematic analysis to analyse interview transcripts and develop themes.Results There were four major themes and three subthemes: 1) contextual influence, with subtheme of cultural influence; 2) a spectrum of knowledge with subtheme of subjective threshold; 3) battling stigma; and 4) genuine connection, with subtheme of redefining service models.Conclusions This research provides the first known insight into the help-seeking perspectives of young rural males disengaged from education. Their narratives, highlight that help-seeking is valued yet action remains ambivalent and hindered by understandings of mental health literacy, stigma, and service models. For these young men, genuine connection that honours their context and experiences is more important than demonstrating clinical expertise. This research offers practical suggestions for tailoring mental health services to meet the needs of young rural men disengaged from education.
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spelling doaj-art-7b0208595e0e4b60b2e5ec8df65fa7a72024-12-09T05:33:26ZengTaylor & Francis GroupAustralian Journal of Psychology0004-95301742-95362024-12-0176110.1080/00049530.2024.2430624Help-seeking for young rural males disengaged from educationJulie C. Clark0Warren Bartik1Peter Smith2Kylie Rice3Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaFaculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AustraliaObjective Young Australian males 15-to-24-years-old have a high prevalence of mental health disorders and suicide but are least likely to seek professional mental health support. Most help-seeking studies fail to consider young males who are disengaged from mainstream education. This research aims to gain an enriched understanding about mental health literacy and help-seeking from the perspective of young rural males disengaged from mainstream education.Method Participants included sixteen males aged 15-to-24-years. All participants had disengaged from mainstream education and had experienced disadvantage. Qualitative methodology was employed using reflexive thematic analysis to analyse interview transcripts and develop themes.Results There were four major themes and three subthemes: 1) contextual influence, with subtheme of cultural influence; 2) a spectrum of knowledge with subtheme of subjective threshold; 3) battling stigma; and 4) genuine connection, with subtheme of redefining service models.Conclusions This research provides the first known insight into the help-seeking perspectives of young rural males disengaged from education. Their narratives, highlight that help-seeking is valued yet action remains ambivalent and hindered by understandings of mental health literacy, stigma, and service models. For these young men, genuine connection that honours their context and experiences is more important than demonstrating clinical expertise. This research offers practical suggestions for tailoring mental health services to meet the needs of young rural men disengaged from education.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/00049530.2024.2430624Help-seekingyoungruraldisengageddisadvantagemental health literacy
spellingShingle Julie C. Clark
Warren Bartik
Peter Smith
Kylie Rice
Help-seeking for young rural males disengaged from education
Australian Journal of Psychology
Help-seeking
young
rural
disengaged
disadvantage
mental health literacy
title Help-seeking for young rural males disengaged from education
title_full Help-seeking for young rural males disengaged from education
title_fullStr Help-seeking for young rural males disengaged from education
title_full_unstemmed Help-seeking for young rural males disengaged from education
title_short Help-seeking for young rural males disengaged from education
title_sort help seeking for young rural males disengaged from education
topic Help-seeking
young
rural
disengaged
disadvantage
mental health literacy
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/00049530.2024.2430624
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AT kylierice helpseekingforyoungruralmalesdisengagedfromeducation