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Help-Seeking Intentions and Preferred Sources for Mental Health Problems Among University Students in Saudi Arabia
Yahia Aldhamri1, Waleed M Alshehri2, Sara M Alahmari3
1Community and Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Department, College of Nursing, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 4, 2026
Summary
University students in Saudi Arabia show low mental health help-seeking. Online resources and peers are preferred over formal services, indicating a need for improved university support systems and mental health literacy programs.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health Research
- Higher Education Studies
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- High prevalence of mental health issues among Saudi university students.
- Low help-seeking behaviors despite available services.
- Limited understanding of preferred support sources (formal vs. informal).
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine mental health help-seeking intentions among university students.
- To identify preferred sources of support (formal and informal).
- To explore demographic and academic predictors of help-seeking intentions.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional descriptive study with 248 undergraduate students in Riyadh.
- Online self-administered questionnaire using the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire.
- Statistical analyses including t-tests, Pearson's correlations, and multiple linear regression.
Main Results:
- Overall low propensity for students to seek mental health help.
- Online sources, mothers, and friends were most preferred; faculty and religious persons least preferred.
- Gender influenced preferred help-seeking sources; age and GPA correlated with seeking specialist help.
Conclusions:
- Need for targeted interventions to enhance student help-seeking behaviors.
- Universities should promote mental health literacy and reduce stigma.
- Integrating digital services and strengthening faculty/institutional support is crucial.
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