Self-Diagnosis, Self-Stigma, Perceived Credibility, and Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help among Young Adults

Abstract

Social media has become a major source of mental health information for young adults, influencing how they understand psychological symptoms and seek help. This study aims to examine the relationship between self-diagnosis, self-stigma, perceived credibility of mental health information, and attitudes toward seeking professional mental health support among young adults. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected from 200 young adults aged 18–35 years through online questionnaires. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to explore relationships among the variables and identify predictors of help-seeking attitudes. It is expected that higher exposure to psychological content on social media were increase self-diagnosis behavior, while self-stigma and perceived credibility was significantly influencing attitudes toward seeking professional help. The findings contribute to improving mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting positive help-seeking behaviors among young adults.