Browsing by Author "Malashevsky, Sarah"

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    Attachment, emerging adult narratives and seeking mental health care
    (University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Malashevsky, Sarah; DiTommaso, Enrico
    Despite research suggesting 15-25-year-olds require mental health care, they are challenging to reach. Attachment patterns impact adults' narratives, thoughts, beliefs, and behavioural expectations. Narrative-type development influences subjective experiences and one's willingness to seek help for struggles. Secure attachment predicts narrative type and help-seeking. Adverse childhood experiences influence identity and mental health help-seeking. Adversity in childhood influences attachment development throughout adulthood. The following study examined how narrative types affect mental health help-seeking among 19-30-year-olds. Attachment patterns and ACEs were also tested for MHHS prediction. One hundred and seventy emerging adults recruited from UNB and social media completed mental health help-seeking, attachment, and adverse childhood experiences measures. Adverse childhood experiences, narrative types (progressive, tragic, or redemptive), and attachment avoidance predicted mental health support avoidance. Applications, implications, and future directions are discussed.