Help-Seeking from Mental Health Professionals or Clergy: Perceptions of University Students

University students (N 5 186) responded to 14 problem-situations (personal/emotional problems, moral problems, social/relational problems, and religious visions/hallucinations) for which one might seek help. Options for help included: (a) a licensed mental health professional (clinical social worker, counselor, clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist), (b) a clergy person, (c) a clergy person with a graduate degree and license in a mental health discipline, or (d) no one-this situation could be handled by oneself or family. Overall, moral problems were perceived to be best handled by oneself and one's family. Social/relational and personal emotional problems were believed to be handled best by mental health professionals. Psychotic/religious problems were seen primarily as the domain of clergy and clergy with advanced training in a mental health discipline. Those who had received religious education differed from those who had not received any religious education in their perceptions about help-seeking for serious relationship problems and if a young person thought s/he might be gay or lesbian. Responses from minority respondents were significantly different from responses of the dominant culture in 8 of the 14 situations. There were significant differences in perceptions between those who had and those who had not received help from a mental health professional in the past in several situations (young person who might be gay or lesbian, serious relationship problems, abusing spouse or partner, job loss, hearing the voice of God, and seeing Jesus). When having received or not received help previously from a clergy person was analyzed with the 14 situations, significant differences were observed in serious relationship problems, teenage drug use, complicated bereavement, anxious and unable to cope, hearing the voice of God, and all the moral situations.