Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
Association between attitude toward seeking professional psychological help and mental health service need in college
Xiangnan Li1, Yongqiang Su2,3, Yan Gan4
1Center for Mental Health Education, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China.
Background:
With growing attention and investment in the mental health of college students in China, the awareness of mental health among college students has increased to some extent. However, research on college students' need for mental health services remains rather limited. Purpose The present study explored the relationship between attitude toward seeking professional psychological help (ATSPPH) and mental health service need among college students, with psychological resilience as the mediating variable and gender as the moderating variable.
Methods:
need among college students, with psychological resilience as the mediating variable and gender as the moderating variable. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1205 college students from four universities in China. The Cognitive Attitude Questionnaire on Mental Health Services for College Students was used to assess attitude toward seeking professional psychological help (ATSPPH). Psychological resilience and mental health service need were measured using the Connor and Davidson's Resilience Scale and Mental Health Service Needs Scale, respectively. PROCESS macro models were used to analyze the mediating effects of psychological resilience and the moderating effects of gender on the relationship between ATSPPH and mental health service need.
Results:
The results showed that ATSPPH, psychological resilience, and mental health service need were all significantly positively correlated. Mediation analysis showed that psychological resilience partially accounted for the association between ATSPPH and mental health service need among college students. Moreover, gender moderated the association between psychological resilience and mental health service need, with the effect of psychological resilience being stronger for males than for females.
Conclusions:
Psychological resilience links ATSPPH and mental health service need, and its impact varies by gender. These findings highlight the importance of fostering resilience and considering gender differences in campus mental health initiatives, with longitudinal research needed to confirm causal pathways.
Related Concept Videos
Importance of Need for Affiliation
Self-Help Support Groups
Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness
One of the primary strengths of self-help...
Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder
Biological approach
The biological approach posits that internal, organic factors are the primary causes of such disorders. This perspective emphasizes brain structure and function, genetic predispositions, and neurotransmitter imbalances. For example, schizophrenia has been associated with both genetic...
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Psychology as a Science
The scientific method in psychology involves six critical steps: making observations, formulating hypotheses, conducting tests, analyzing...
