Condemn or Treat? The Influence of Adults’ Stigmatizing Attitudes on Mental Health Service Use for Children

Stephanie Lange (), Emily Gossmann, Sophie Hofmann and Jörg M. Fegert
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Stephanie Lange: Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Ulm, Steinhövelstraße 5, 89075 Ulm, Germany
Emily Gossmann: Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Ulm, Steinhövelstraße 5, 89075 Ulm, Germany
Sophie Hofmann: Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Ulm, Steinhövelstraße 5, 89075 Ulm, Germany
Jörg M. Fegert: Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Ulm, Steinhövelstraße 5, 89075 Ulm, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-18

Abstract: Stigmatizing attitudes towards mental disorders influence parents’ help-seeking behavior for their child’s mental health problems. As untreated mental disorders can cause morbidity and mortality, such parental attitudes are a serious barrier for public health promotion. Therefore, the help-seeking readiness in a distressed child’s broad social environment is essential. However, the role of stigma was unexplored in this context. This study empirically investigated the influence of adults’ stigmatizing attitudes towards mentally disabled people on their readiness to seek professional help for children’s mental health issues. Data from a representative German sample (N = 1906; 52% female) were collected between July and October 2021. A heteroscedastic ordered probit model was used for estimation. An empirical analysis provides evidence for a significant negative relationship between adults’ stigmatizing attitudes and their readiness to initiate mental health support for children (ß = −0.01; p < 0.001). Support acceptance seems to be independent of having children. To tackle stigmatizing attitudes and to promote public health, mental health literacy should be fostered through broad-based approaches. Awareness should be raised that children are also entitled to mental health care, just as they are in other health areas. Policy makers need to promote comprehensive information about mental illnesses and create incentives for acute and preventive service use.

Keywords: stigma; mental health; children and adolescents; prevention; mental health services; health promotion; health care; heteroscedastic ordered probit model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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