Barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking among African American youth and their families: A systematic review study

Arrianna M. Planey, Shardé McNeil Smith, Stephanie Moore and Taylor D. Walker

Children and Youth Services Review, 2019, vol. 101, issue C, 190-200

Abstract: It is well documented that African American/Black youth underutilize mental health services. Thus, the aim of this narrative systematic review study was to examine the barriers to, and facilitators of, mental health help-seeking and service utilization for Black youth. The research team conducted a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies published from January 2000 to May 2017. Articles were included if they reported (i) barriers and/or facilitators of mental health help-seeking or outpatient mental health service use for Black youth and (ii) non-aggregated findings on African American or Black youth aged 18 and under. Fifteen articles (six quantitative, eight qualitative, and one mixed-method) met the inclusion criteria. Seven themes related to barriers were identified: child-related factors; clinician and therapeutic factors; stigma; religion and spirituality; treatment affordability, availability, and accessibility; the school system; and social network. Seven themes were also identified for facilitators: child mental health concerns; caregivers' experiences; supportive social network; positive therapeutic factors; religion and spirituality; referrals and mandates by parents and gatekeepers; and geographic region. Taken together, the identified barriers to and facilitators of mental health help-seeking among Black youth were multi-scalar (individual-, interpersonal-, and structural-level) and socially-embedded, reflecting help-seeking and service use for Black youth as a complex, contextual, and relational process. Findings support the need for reducing barriers of mental health care access and service use among a population whose need often outstrips actual use of services.

Keywords: African American/Black; Barriers; Facilitators; Mental health services; Systematic review; Youth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:101:y:2019:i:c:p:190-200

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.04.001

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