Abstract:
An extant body of literature exists on what factors predict help seeking for specific
problems in individuals. However, little research has focused on couples seeking help and none
known of college couples seeking help. The purpose of this study was to explore factors
contributing to college couples’ intentions and willingness to seek couples therapy at their
university using the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Prototype Willingness Model through
two competing models. To achieve this purpose, undergraduate and graduate college students
were surveyed and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. In the hypothesized
mediation model, attitudes towards couples’ therapy fully mediated the relationship between past
therapy experience and intention to seek couples therapy. In both the hypothesized and
alternative model, there was a positive link between subjective norms regarding seeking couples
therapy and intentions to seek couples therapy, and a negative relationship between perceived
control over seeking couples therapy and intentions to seek couples therapy. Model comparison
analyses suggested the hypothesized mediation model fit the data better. Implications,
limitations, and directions for future research were discussed.
