Abstracts Health Sciences

Understanding Caregivers’ Help-seeking for Child and Adolescent Mental Health through the Lens of Mental Health Literacy

by Gwendolyn Fearing

BackgroundMental health literacy (MHL) has received increased attention for its contribution to the help-seeking process; however, little is known about the role of caregivers’ MHL in their decision to seek mental health services for their child’s emotional and/or behavioural concern. This dissertation investigates caregivers’ experience seeking child and adolescent mental health services through the lens of MHL, with a particular focus on caregiver knowledge and beliefs about child mental health and treatments. Method This qualitative study employed a grounded theory (GT) methodology. Twenty-six caregivers with a child between the ages of 6-18 participated in a virtual or telephone interview that was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed for themes and for the development of a theoretical framework for understanding the role of MHL in caregivers’ help-seeking experience. ResultsCaregivers’ personal experience and professional training or courses in mental health contributed to their knowledge about child mental health and their belief in treatment. Their knowledge was fundamental in their ability to recognize a mental health concern, which was a catalyst to their decision to seek and contact mental health services. In addition, the school also was significant in the recognition of a mental health concern in a child and in caregivers’ decision to seek mental health services. Seven primary themes emerged from the data: caregiver experience, recognition of mental health concern (MHC), belief in child and adolescent mental health treatment, complex access, and availability of child mental health services, “chasing information”, judgement in parenting and stigma. Overall, caregivers’ mental health literacy was critical in the process of seeking child mental health services. ConclusionDespite caregiver knowledge and belief in mental health and treatments, access to mental health services was complex. Throughout the help-seeking process, caregivers were “chasing information” about mental health and how best to access services. Overall, the caregiver experience with seeking child and adolescent mental health services was not linear and highlighted the systemic barriers within the mental health system.