Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Supervisor

Wedlake, Marnie

2nd Supervisor

Johnson, Andrew M.

Co-Supervisor

Abstract

Trait emotional intelligence (EI) and the Big Five personality factors represent promising constructs in the individual differences literature that have been investigated in relation to help-seeking behaviour. This quantitative work explores the relationship between individual differences in trait EI, personality, and attitudes toward – as well as future intentions to engage in – help-seeking behaviour among undergraduate students at Western University. Stepwise regression modelling was used to determine which dimensions of personality and trait EI best predicted help-seeking outcomes and whether attitudes toward help-seeking predicted intentions to seek help from university-provided mental health sources. Resultsindicated that several individual facets of trait EI were more closely associated with and better predictors of both general attitudes toward help-seeking behaviour and intentions to seek help from formal support sources than the Big Five. Attitudes toward help-seeking were found to be significantly predictive of intentions to seek help from Student Health Services and Psychological Services.

Summary for Lay Audience

There is a need to increase mental health-related help-seeking behaviour among university students. Studies have reported that levels of psychological distress are high among undergraduates, yet low treatment rates suggest that existing models of support may be inadequate for this population. The need to investigate potential determinants of help-seeking behaviour is punctuated by the finding that most undergraduate students do not seek formal help, despite its increasing availability and positive association with academic performance and well-being. Trait emotional intelligence (EI) and the Big Five personality factors both represent promising constructs in the individual differences literature that have been investigated in relation to a range of health-relevant behaviours, including aspects of the help-seeking process. The following project aims to fortify the emerging evidence base concerning the relationship between individual differences in trait EI, personality and attitudes toward – as well as future intentions to commit – help-seeking behaviour. This study employed an exploratory, cross-sectional design involving the administration of a Qualtrics survey to a sample of 85 undergraduate students. Descriptive statistics were presented for each of the central psychometric instruments. Pearson product-moment correlations were calculated to examine intercorrelations among disposition-centric predictors and to determine the degree of association between key study variables. Stepwise regression modelling was used to determine which specific dimensions of personality and trait EI best predicted help-seeking outcomes, in addition to assessing whether attitudes toward help-seeking behaviour were similarly relevant to the prediction of intentions to seek help from university-provided formal help sources. Results indicated that several facets of trait emotional intelligence were more closely associated with and better predictors of both general attitudes toward help-seeking behaviour and intentions to seek help from formal support sources than the Big Five personality domains. Attitudes toward help-seeking were found to be significantly predictive of intentions to seek help from Student Health Services and Psychological Services, in particular. Ultimately, this work serves to identify students who might be most at risk of ‘suffering in silence’ based on variables such as trait EI and personality, which can be quantified and potentially used to fine-tune the promotion, delivery, and evaluation of campus-based mental health services.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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