Depression, perception of family functioning, and help seeking from loved ones: Mediational elucidation with implications for intervention

Two studies were conducted to explore the relationship between perception of family functioning and perceived barriers of help seeking in order to increase help seeking for depression. Further, Study Two evaluated whether perception of family functioning can be manipulated to aid future interventions. The first study included 126 Hispanics and the second 124 Caucasians. Both samples were obtained using online crowd sourcing. Both samples completed measures for depression, perception of family functioning, help seeking utility, help seeking self-efficacy, perceived behavioral capabilities, and perceived consequences of help seeking (personal and family). Study Two participants also answered a written manipulation prompt inquiring about a time they felt especially loved or betrayed by their family followed by a second inquiry about perception of family functioning. Results from both studies indicated that perception of family functioning mediates the relationship between depression and the following: help seeking utility, help seeking self-efficacy, perceived behavioral capabilities, and perceived consequences of help seeking (personal and family). Further, Study Two found an interaction between depression and the pre-post manipulation difference of family functioning score and found both depressed and non-depressed participants were influenced by the manipulation in the expected direction. The mediations offer preliminary support for a potential indirect path for clinicians to increase help seeking behavior of depressed individuals by reinforcing positive perceptions of family functioning. The results of the interaction analysis imply that even a simple written exercise can modify perceptions of family functioning which may provide interventions with an avenue to increase help seeking for depression.