Self-concealment, avoidance of psychological services, and perceived likelihood of seeking professional help

Undergraduate students (N = 732) completed questionnaires about their perceived likelihood of seeking professional psychological help, attitudes toward psychotherapy, fears of psychotherapy, psychological distress, social support, and self-concealment. Self-concealment (a person's tendency to keep intimate information secret) was positively associated with self-reported distress and avoidance of needed psychological treatment. Although low social support was associated with greater perceived likelihood of seeking help, this effect was canceled at high levels of self-concealment. Specific types of distress selectively predicted perceived likelihood of seeking help as a function of the type of problem for which help would have been sought. Overall, the data contradicted previous findings and conclusions that suggested high self-concealers were more inclined than low self-concealers to seek psychological services.