Mental health help-seeking behavior and service utilization in Salvadorian and Mexican youth and mothers
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[EMBARGOED UNTIL 12/01/2025] Despite the decades of research and interventions developed to support Latine individuals there is still a disproportionate rate of mental health concerns in the Latine community. To ensure Latine youth are getting the mental health care they need to thrive, it is important to understand the role of culture, risk and protective factors, barriers and facilitators, and mental health messaging. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper insight into how an individual interacts with the systems around them and how that influences their decision to seek out help and utilize mental health services when taking individual identity and cultural identity into consideration. This study employed a multiple case study design to gain a deeper understanding of Latine youth and their mothers experiences and perceptions of mental health. Latine youth-mother dyads (N=5) on the West Coast completed a journal entry, survey/questionnaire, and participated in an interview about their experiences and perceptions of mental health, barriers and facilitators, help-seeking behavior, service utilization, and mental health messaging. Several factors (culture, societal expectations, community barriers) were found to deter Latine youth and families accessing mental health care. However, self-perception and identity were found to have a positive impact on mental health help-seeking behavior and service utilization despite any barriers present. Additionally, mental health education and exposure to positive mental health views were found to increase Latine youth mental health help-seeking behavior, mental health awareness, and less stigmatized views.
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M.A.