Cultural barriers to help-seeking among young migrants and refugees: Investigating the roles of self-stigma, perceived public stigma, mental health literacy, and acculturation

PURPOSE: Young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds are at higher risk of developing mental health difficulties associated with migration and resettlement stressors and yet are underrepresented in mental health services. The current study aimed to examine the role of self-stigma, perceived public stigma, mental health literacy, and acculturation on attitudes towards seeking psychological help among young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds. METHODS: Participants from migrant and refugee backgrounds in Australia aged 17-25 years old (n = 107; 72% female) completed an online questionnaire. RESULTS: Results from hierarchical multiple regression models indicated that a higher level of self-stigma was significantly and uniquely associated with poorer attitudes towards seeking psychological help while controlling for age and gender. Further, better mental health literacy was significantly associated with more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help. However, when accounting for acculturation level, this association was no longer significant. CONCLUSION: Self-stigma represents a key cultural barrier to seeking psychological help among young migrants and refugees. These findings suggest that investing in culturally-informed and co-designed interventions to address self-stigma may help promote help-seeking behaviours in young people from a range of culturally and linguistically diverse migrant and refugee backgrounds.