Help seeking for mental health problems in adolescents living in socio-economically disadvantaged conditions - A systematic rapid literature review about the barriers and motivators to help seeking

Adolescents living in socio-economically disadvantaged conditions are especially at-risk for developing mental health disorders. However, there is a gap between adolescents in need of treatment and those seeking help. Therefore, it is important to understand which factors hinder and motivate adolescents to seek help. Hence, this rapid review aims at answering the research question: “What is known about the main motivators and barriers to seeking help for mental health problems in adolescents living in socio-economically disadvantaged conditions?” A systematic literature search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycInfo. 115 studies were identified, of which 8 studies were included in the review. Results were analysed narratively. Barriers to help seeking were categorised as 1) stigma-related barriers, 2) emotional barriers, 3) knowledge barriers, 4) structural barriers and 5) other barriers. Categories of motivators were 1) social motivators, 2) knowledge motivators, and 3) other motivators. Stigma-related barriers turned out to be the most frequently reported barrier. Further, online mental health services were suggested as a possibility to reduce barriers and make use of motivators for help seeking. Additionally, a lack of quantitative studies was identified. Results of this study underline the urgent need of putting theoretical insights into practice.