Stigma Related to Psychiatric Disorders and Barriers to Psychiatric Help-Seeking Among Indian Undergraduates

Abstract

A BSTRACT Mental health issues among Indian undergraduate students are significantly prevalent, yet self-stigma often prevents them from seeking help. To assess self-stigma, anticipated stigma, stigma towards help-seeking, and stigma towards others among first-year engineering students. Data from 300 engineering students (188 men, 112 women) were collected using the Stigma and Self-Stigma Scale (SASS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale. The study revealed a significant positive correlation between self-stigma and both anticipated stigma (r s = 0.786, P < 0.01) and stigma toward help-seeking (r s = 0.511, P < 0.01), suggesting that students who internalize negative beliefs about mental illnesses are more likely to fear discrimination and hesitate to seek help. The multiple regression model confirms this association, demonstrating how a combination of anticipated stigma, social distancing stigma, and self-stigma predicts stigma toward help-seeking. A moderate positive correlation with anxiety levels (r s = 0.362, P < .001) suggests its influence on self-stigmatizing attitudes. Students emphasized the need for a diverse mental health support system, showing a preference for in-person psychiatrist consultations over helplines and expressing openness to teacher support for discussing mental health concerns. This study revealed that ignorance and the fear of labeling significantly hinder individuals from seeking help. Engineering students from Pune showed a significant positive correlation between self-stigma, anticipated stigma, and help-seeking stigma, along with an interplay between stigma and anxiety. Key barriers to help-seeking included ignorance, misconceptions, and fear of labelling.