I. Gasquet et al., Consultation of mental health professionals by French adolescents with probable psychiatric problems, ACT PSYC SC, 99(2), 1999, pp. 126-134
A national sample of school-attending adolescents aged 12-20 years (n = 843
5) filled out an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. We considered a
group of 868 adolescents with probable psychiatric problems (PPP) in order
to identify personal, psychological and environmental factors as well as h
elp-seeking behaviour associated with consultation of mental health profess
ionals (MHP). Among the adolescents with PPP, 13.7% consulted MHP at least
once during the year. Logistic regression analysis showed that consultation
with MHP was more frequent for adolescents with multiple problems (OR = 2.
3), functional physical disorders (OR = 1.9), family problems (OR = 2), sep
arated parents (OR = 4.4) or multiple contacts with other doctors (GP, scho
ol doctor and other specialists, OR = 2.2, 3.6 and 2.6, respectively), and
among those who confided in teachers or youth group advisors (OR = 2.2). Th
ose who confided in peers consulted MHP less often (OR = 0.5). However, con
sultation with MHP was not associated with other sociodemographic or educat
ional characteristics, with type of problem (internalized or externalized),
or with confiding in one's parents.