Racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) communities experience disproportionate exposure to adverse events, including discrimination, socioeconomic disparities, justice system involvement, and limited access to healthcare. These inequities increase the likelihood of experiencing potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and developing trauma-related mental health concerns such as posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Despite this elevated risk, REM populations consistently underutilize mental health services. Although several explanations have been proposed—including differences in symptom recognition, perceived need for care, cultural values, mental health literacy, and preferred sources of support—less research has examined racial and ethnic differences in help-seeking intentions (HSI) and help-seeking recommendations (HSR), particularly in response to trauma-related symptoms. The present study examined potential ethnoracial differences in HSI and HSR for PTSS, including differences across symptom clusters (intrusion, avoidance, negative thoughts and cognitions, and hyperarousal). Participants read a vignette describing an individual experiencing PTSS and reported their likelihood of recommending help for others and seeking help for themselves. Results indicated no significant ethnoracial differences in help-seeking recommendations, but significant differences emerged in help-seeking intentions for certain symptom clusters.
","abstract_html":"<p>Racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) communities experience disproportionate exposure to adverse events, including discrimination, socioeconomic disparities, justice system involvement, and limited access to healthcare. These inequities increase the likelihood of experiencing potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and developing trauma-related mental health concerns such as posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Despite this elevated risk, REM populations consistently underutilize mental health services. Although several explanations have been proposed—including differences in symptom recognition, perceived need for care, cultural values, mental health literacy, and preferred sources of support—less research has examined racial and ethnic differences in help-seeking intentions (HSI) and help-seeking recommendations (HSR), particularly in response to trauma-related symptoms. The present study examined potential ethnoracial differences in HSI and HSR for PTSS, including differences across symptom clusters (intrusion, avoidance, negative thoughts and cognitions, and hyperarousal). Participants read a vignette describing an individual experiencing PTSS and reported their likelihood of recommending help for others and seeking help for themselves. Results indicated no significant ethnoracial differences in help-seeking recommendations, but significant differences emerged in help-seeking intentions for certain symptom clusters. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Telule, Josselyn Yanisbeth"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Freddie Pastrana Rivera","Nora Charles","Douglas Glenn"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2026-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:45:55Z","subjects":["Help-Seeking","Race","Ethnicity","PSTD Clusters","Mental Healthcare","Service Utilization","PTSD","Clinical Psychology","Multicultural Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1190","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Freddie Pastrana Rivera","Nora Charles","Douglas Glenn"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Telule, Josselyn Yanisbeth"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-05-28T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Help-Seeking","Race","Ethnicity","PSTD Clusters","Mental Healthcare","Service Utilization","PTSD","Clinical Psychology","Multicultural Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1190"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) communities experience disproportionate exposure to adverse events, including discrimination, socioeconomic disparities, justice system involvement, and limited access to healthcare. These inequities increase the likelihood of experiencing potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and developing trauma-related mental health concerns such as posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Despite this elevated risk, REM populations consistently underutilize mental health services. Although several explanations have been proposed—including differences in symptom recognition, perceived need for care, cultural values, mental health literacy, and preferred sources of support—less research has examined racial and ethnic differences in help-seeking intentions (HSI) and help-seeking recommendations (HSR), particularly in response to trauma-related symptoms. The present study examined potential ethnoracial differences in HSI and HSR for PTSS, including differences across symptom clusters (intrusion, avoidance, negative thoughts and cognitions, and hyperarousal). Participants read a vignette describing an individual experiencing PTSS and reported their likelihood of recommending help for others and seeking help for themselves. Results indicated no significant ethnoracial differences in help-seeking recommendations, but significant differences emerged in help-seeking intentions for certain symptom clusters.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Investigating Racial and Ethnic Differences in Help-Seeking Recommendations and Intentions for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Symptom Clusters"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Freddie Pastrana Rivera","Nora Charles","Douglas Glenn"],"dc:creator":["Telule, Josselyn Yanisbeth"],"dc:date.available":["2026-05-28T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) communities experience disproportionate exposure to adverse events, including discrimination, socioeconomic disparities, justice system involvement, and limited access to healthcare. These inequities increase the likelihood of experiencing potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and developing trauma-related mental health concerns such as posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Despite this elevated risk, REM populations consistently underutilize mental health services. Although several explanations have been proposed—including differences in symptom recognition, perceived need for care, cultural values, mental health literacy, and preferred sources of support—less research has examined racial and ethnic differences in help-seeking intentions (HSI) and help-seeking recommendations (HSR), particularly in response to trauma-related symptoms. The present study examined potential ethnoracial differences in HSI and HSR for PTSS, including differences across symptom clusters (intrusion, avoidance, negative thoughts and cognitions, and hyperarousal). Participants read a vignette describing an individual experiencing PTSS and reported their likelihood of recommending help for others and seeking help for themselves. Results indicated no significant ethnoracial differences in help-seeking recommendations, but significant differences emerged in help-seeking intentions for certain symptom clusters.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1190"],"dc:subject":["Help-Seeking","Race","Ethnicity","PSTD Clusters","Mental Healthcare","Service Utilization","PTSD","Clinical Psychology","Multicultural Psychology"],"dc:title":["Investigating Racial and Ethnic Differences in Help-Seeking Recommendations and Intentions for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Symptom Clusters"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:45:55Z"}