Pathways to mental health help-seeking among female college students: a grounded theory study

OBJECTIVE: To develop a grounded theoretical understanding of how female college students navigate mental health help-seeking. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two self-identified female undergraduate students aged 18-30 years from a public university in Canada. METHODS: A qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory approach was conducted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using constant comparative methods. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: self-reliance and self-help, nonprofessional support, semi-formal and integrated support, and professional support. Findings revealed that help-seeking is a dynamic and non-linear process, with students moving between multiple sources of support depending on their needs and context. Self-reliance often served as the initial step, while professional support was least utilized. CONCLUSIONS: The diverse pathways of mental health support sources theory highlight the need for flexible, accessible, and integrated mental health systems that align with students' preferences and promote timely help-seeking.