Reliability and validity of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form

Abstract

We examined the reliability and validity of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form (ATSPPH-SF), a widely cited measure of mental health treatment attitudes. Data from 296 college students and 389 primary care patients were analyzed. The ATSPPH-SF evidenced adequate internal consistency. Higher scores (indicating more positive treatment attitudes) were associated with less treatment-related stigma, and greater intentions to seek treatment in the future. No associations were found for mental health impairment or depression. The ATSPPH-SF was related to the recent use of mental health treatment and recent treatment intensity (i.e., visit counts); after controlling for demographic variables associated with treatment use, this relationship held in predicting previous use from non-use, but not visit counts. Factor-analytic findings demonstrated that a two-factor model (Openness to Seeking Treatment for Emotional Problems, and Value and Need in Seeking Treatment) represented the data well. Implications for future research on mental healthcare use correlates are discussed, as well as the need for enhancing peoples' attitudes toward treatment.