Mental Health Help-Seeking Among College Students: A 5-Year TPB Analysis

• In Event: Mental Health and Help-Seeking Across Cultural Contexts

Abstract

This study examined psychological adjustment and help-seeking patterns among Shanghai college students (N = 4,235) from 2018 to 2022. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), an XGBoost model identified key predictors of unmet mental health needs (“Service-Gap”). Results revealed a post-pandemic decline in adjustment and openness to professional help, despite stable perceived value. Strong predictors included behavioral intention (interest-to-barrier ratio, motivation), perceived need (emotional/family issues), prior exposure to counseling, and socioeconomic status. These findings highlight the need for interventions that target both attitudinal and structural barriers, particularly for vulnerable student groups, to reduce disparities in service engagement and promote mental health equity in university settings.

Keywords: Theory of Planned Behavior, Machine Learning, Help-Seeking Behavior, College Student, Mental Health

Authors

• Yue Zheng, University of Washington

• Yonghui Li, East China University of Science and Technology