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Correlates of help-seeking behavior in Singaporean parents
Author
Chee, Jade Gek Chin
Supervisor
Lim, Kam Ming
Abstract
Past research studies in the area of help-seeking behavior included investigating variables like gender, preferred sources of help, socioeconomic status, age, personality, self-esteem and social context. Models on help-seeking behavior include Darley-Latane's three question model (1970), Piliavin's (1972) linear sequential model for help-utilization, Shulman, Rosen and Gross's (1976) model of how widows utilizes resources available to them to cope with bereavement, and Gross and McMullen's (1983) help-seeking decision model. However, perplexity remains with regards to understanding why individuals who needs help most do not seek help (e.g. in mental health settings, parents of children with behavioral problems or alcoholics etc.) Past studies tend to focus on the help-giver's perspective. Although in recent years, more attention is being paid to understand help-seeking behavior from the recipient's point of view, there are very few studies examining Asian attitudes on help-seeking. Although extensive studies have shown that demographic variables could influence an individual in seeking help, it is still a poorly researched area where local studies are concern. Hence this study was undertaken to assess the correlates of help-seeking behavior in Singaporean parents and to investigate the barriers to help-seeking behavior in these parents. Subjects were service and ex-service users of Serangoon Moral Family Service Centre, Macpherson Moral Family Service Centre and Tanjong Pagar Moral Family Services Centre, their friends, colleagues and acquaintance. A total of 52 parents participated in the study. In this study, it was found that selected demographic variables like gender and level of income were determinants of help-seeking behavior. More females than males seek help whether through friends, relatives or through professionals. It was also found that where Singapore as a population is concerned, lower income parents seek help from professionals more than higher income parents. Results indicated significant differences in the perception of barriers to help-seeking behavior across gender, level of income and between help-seekers and non help-seekers. For the perception of barriers to help-seeking, the significant barriers were the perception of alienation from outsiders, perception of family as sufficient help, perception of peers as sufficient help, perception of self-sufficiency, perception of time-availability and perception of counsellor. Significant differences for the main-effect of help-seeking behavior was noted between non help-seekers and help-seeker in the category of perception of self-sufficiency, perception of time-availability and perception of family as sufficient. Gender differences were only noted for the perception of counsellor. Interactional patterns between income and help-seeking behavior were noted in the category of family as sufficient help. Another interactional pattern was observed between gender and income for the category of perception of peers as sufficient. Deviation of results, from those of past Western research, suggest that a more comprehensive and thorough investigation is required, as differences in decision-making values between Asians and Westerners might be a major influencing factor.
Date Issued
2000
Call Number
BF637.C6 Che
Date Submitted
2000