Cultural self construals and help seeking behavior in mental illness: Mardin sample

Objective: This study examines the impact of cultural self-construals in the context of autonomy and relatedness on help-seeking behavior for non-psychotic mental illnesses. Cultural factors shape individuals' perceptions of mental illness and the treatment methods they pursue. Individuals with an independent-autonomous self-construal tend to seek medical assistance, whereas those with an interdependent-relational self-construal are more inclined toward traditional and non-medical methods. Method: The study was conducted with 80 patients who applied to the psychiatry outpatient clinic of our hospital. Participants completed the Autonomous-Relational Self Scale (ARSS) and the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ). They were categorized into three groups: "medical help-seekers," "non-medical help-seekers," and "those using mixed methods." Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Chi-square tests. Results: Among participants, 46.2% sought medical help, 36.2% used non-medical methods, and 17.5% used both. The medical group had significantly higher autonomy scores (29.2±4.4) compared to the non-medical (23.3±5.7; p<0.001) and combined groups (23.6±7.9; p=0.002). In contrast, relational self-construal was higher in the non-medical group (32.2±5.7) than in the medical group (28.0±5.7; p=0.006). The main reasons for choosing non-medical approaches were despair (48.8%), personal beliefs (41.9%), and influence from close others (39.5%). Discussion: Cultural self-construals play a crucial role in help-seeking processes for mental illnesses. Individuals with a relational self-construal tend to be influenced by their social environment and are more likely to turn to non-medical methods. As autonomy levels increase, the likelihood of seeking professional psychiatric support also rises. The findings highlight the importance of cultural psychology in access to mental health services and emphasize the need for healthcare policies to consider cultural sensitivities.