Examining the Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy in the Relationship Between Shyness and Help-Seeking Behavior among College Students

This study explored the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between shyness and help-seeking behavior among Filipino college students. With mental health concerns rising in the Philippines, help-seeking behaviors are crucial in addressing issues like emotional distress, and suicidal ideation. A sample of 440 college students aged 18-30 from Metro Manila were surveyed to determine whether self-efficacy affects the likelihood of seeking help for personal/emotional problems and suicidal ideation. Three validated instruments- the McCroskey Shyness Scale, the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale- were used through an online survey. The results indicated that self-efficacy was found to be an indirect pathway linking shyness and help-seeking behavior for suicidal ideation but did not have the same effect for personal/emotional problems. Also, shyness alone did not significantly predict help-seeking behavior for either problem. Furthermore, moderated mediation analyses showed that these pathways did not significantly differ by sex, although conditional effects suggested that mediating role of self-efficacy may be more pronounced among females. Our findings suggest that enhancing college students' self-efficacy may improve help-seeking behaviors, particularly in serious mental health situations like suicidal ideation, and highlight the need for interventions addressing cultural and psychological barriers to help-seeking. Given the cross-sectional design of this study, the observed associations should not be interpreted as causal relationships.