Abstract:
Approximately two-thirds of college student women who have symptoms of depression do not
seek formal help through mental health services. Models of help seeking for young people have
been developed and the Theory of Planned Behavior has been extensively used to understand
health behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between
depression literacy, problem recognition, attitudes, perceived norms, perceived behavioral
control, and intentions to seek help among college student women. A brief feedback intervention
was included to determine if awareness of current depression symptoms severity impacted
problem recognition. Five-hundred thirty-four college student women were surveyed, and data
were analyzed using structural equation modeling and paired samples t-tests. Hypotheses that
depression literacy was related to problem recognition and that feedback increased problem
recognition were supported. The hypothesis that problem recognition was related to help-seeking
intentions and attitudes was partially supported in that there was a direct positive relationship
between problem recognition and intention to seek help, however this relationship was not
mediated by attitudes. Other relationships between Theory of Planned Behavior variables were
different than expected. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed
