Measurement of men's help seeking: Development and evaluation of the Barriers to Help Seeking Scale

Authors

Abigail K. Mansfield, Clark University
Michael E. Addis, Clark UniversityFollow
Will Courtenay, McLean Hospital

Document Type

Article

Abstract

This article describes the development and psychometric evaluation of the Barriers to Help Seeking Scale (BHSS). The measure was designed to assess reasons men identify for not seeking professional help for mental and physical health problems. Exploratory factor analyses in a sample of 537 undergraduate men revealed a 5-factor solution of internally consistent subscales, including Need for Control and Self-Reliance, Minimizing Problem and Resignation, Concrete Barriers and Distrust of Caregivers, Privacy, and Emotional Control. A separate study of 58 undergraduate men confirmed the reliability of the scale and provided evidence of convergent and criterion validity between the BHSS and measures of masculine gender-role conflict and attitudes toward seeking professional help.

Publication Title

Psychology of Men and Masculinity

Publication Date

2005

Volume

6

Issue

2

First Page

95

Last Page

108

ISSN

1524-9220

DOI

10.1037/1524-9220.6.2.95

Keywords

men, help-seeking behavior, BHSS

Repository Citation

Mansfield, Abigail K.; Addis, Michael E.; and Courtenay, Will, "Measurement of men's help seeking: Development and evaluation of the Barriers to Help Seeking Scale" (2005). Psychology. 114.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_psychology/114