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Research That Matters (January 17 - 20, 2008) | ||
Blue Prefunction (Omni Shoreham)
Willingness to Seek-Help: the Role of Social Inclusion and Capital
Purpose: This study examines associations among the quality of youth's social inclusion and social capital within various domains of their lives and their willingness to seek help from adults during times of personal crisis. The study seeks to examine potential differences in theses associations across racial groups and grade level. Background: Youth's willingness to seek help contributes to the positive resolution of a variety of health and interpersonal problems they may face (Boydell, Gladstone, & Volpe, 2006; Espelage, Bosworth, & Simon, 2000; Lindsey et al., 2006; Young, 1998). Yet, little is known how youths' social inclusion and social capital experiences across contextual domains (family, friends and school), both singly and in combination, influence their willingness to seek adult help in times of crisis. These influences may differentially influence youth across the middle and high school years of development and in the context of their racial/ethnic identity. Methods: This investigation is a secondary analysis of the School Success Profile (Bowen & Richman, 2001). Structural equation modeling was used to examine the influence of youth perception of the supportiveness of adults within their home, school and neighborhood as well as the supportiveness of peer on their willingness to seek help from adult during major family or personal crises. Results: Although no specific hypotheses were offered, the results suggested significant differences by racial/ethnic group identification. For European American youth, perceived support from teachers was associated with youth's willingness to seek help from adults when they are faced with serious personal problems (B=-0.085, SE=0.026, p<.05). Alternatively, perceived support from family members was associated with their willingness to handle personal problem without seeking help from adults (B= 0.096, SE=0.031, p<.05). For Hispanic American youth, neither social inclusion within school and friendship networks nor perceived social support from family nor other adults were associated with help seeking behavior. Results also varied by grade level. For seventh and eighth graders, willingness to seek help from adults for personal problems was associated with perceived support from teachers (B= -0.066, SE=0.021, p<.05). For ninth and tenth graders, neither social inclusion within school and friendship networks nor perceived social support from family nor other adults were associated with their help seeking behavior. The only factors associated with their help seeking behavior were gender. Males (B= -0.192, SE= 0.041, p<.05) were more likely avoid seeking help from adults. For eleventh and twelfth graders, willingness to seek adult help when faced with serious personal problems was associated with both perceived support from adults outside of the family (B= -0.201, SE=0.081, p<.05) and perceptions that the youth's neighborhood had supportive adults (B=-0.257, SE=0.110, p<.05). Implications: For ninth and tenth graders and Hispanic youth, greater examination of factors associated with their likelihood of seeking help from adults is needed. Those working with African and European American youth should look to supporting the bonds among family members as a means to support youth's willingness to seek outside help for difficult problems. Promising practices are discussed for supporting stronger connections between youth and their families.