In their own voices: Attitudes about mental health utilization by African American females at a predominantly White institution

This study explored the attitudes of mental health utilization by African American female students at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). Because African American females have been found to underutilize mental health services, the study's goals were to explore participants' views on (a) treatment efficacy, (b) barriers to seeking mental health services, and (c) counselor preferences. The analysis used a modified grounded theory approach. Findings indicated that participants viewed counseling as a positive, admirable, and helpful option for individuals in need of mental health services. However, they also acknowledged the wide range of negative stereotypes associated with seeking such services. Informal resources were used more often and family played important roles in decisions about seeking mental health services. Further, there was a general lack of knowledge about the availability of mental health services, which often restricted the use of these services. Participants also indicated a number of barriers related to accessibility, availability, acceptability, and accountability. Race, gender and age played critical roles in the preferences that individuals have for mental health professionals, while religion and sexual orientation were less important. These findings informed the development of a framework for mental health utilization in African American women. An application of this framework by mental health professionals in various settings would be important in increasing mental health utilization patterns by African American females who attend PWIs. Recommendations are provided for mental health professionals, university counseling centers, and mental health-related training programs.