Volume_4_Issue_1_Digest

TPC D igest 9 Ashley M. Ackerman is a graduate student at Wright State University. Richard A. Wantz, NCC, is a Professor of Counselor Education at Wright State University. Michael W. Firmin, NCC, is a Professor at Cedarville University. Dawn C. Poindexter is a graduate student at Wright State University. Amita L. Pujara, NCC, is an adjunct instructor at Wright State University and Life Therapist at South Community Behavioral Health Care, Inc. Correspondence can be addressed to Richard A. Wantz, Department of Human Services, College of Education and Human Services, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, 108VAL, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435-0001, richard.wantz@wright.edu. P resident Obama recently called for a national discussion on mental health. According to a 2012 report from the National Institute of Mental Health, about one in four American adults has a mental disorder that can be diagnosed, yet only about 38% seek treatment. Some important research ques- tions have been identified. Do people avoid seeking mental health services because they don’t believe mental health service providers (MHSPs) (e.g., psychologists, psychiatrists, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, social workers, psychiatric nurses) are effective? Could perceptions of MHSPs be potential barriers to help-seeking behavior? Do people seek help from some MHSPs more than others because they believe them to be more effective? Research has indicated that perceptions of MHSPs are significant factors in the efficacy of treatment and the relationship between the client and the MHSP. The present study sur- veyed undergraduates regarding how effec- tive they perceived MHSPs to be. Participants rated social workers and marriage and family therapists with the lowest overall effective- ness. Psychologists and counselors were rated with the highest effectiveness. Social workers, marriage and family therapists, and psychia- trists had the highest percentage of unsure participant responses as well as the highest Mental Health Service Providers: College Student Perceptions of Helper Effectiveness – DIGEST Ashley M. Ackerman Richard A. Wantz Michael W. Firmin Dawn C. Poindexter Amita L. Pujara