Citation

Tsindos G, Scurrah K, Benakovic R, Reynolds KA, King K. Crisis 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, International Association for Suicide Prevention, Publisher Hogrefe Publishing)

DOI

10.1027/0227-5910/a000947

PMID

38441130

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Men account for three-quarters of suicide deaths in Australia. Self-reliant masculine norms may act as barriers to men's help-seeking and contribute to suicidal ideation. Men who seek help may be less likely to experience suicidal ideation.

AIM: We evaluated the association between help-seeking intentions and suicidal ideation in Australian adult men using data from Wave 2 of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men).

METHOD: Using scores on the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, we explored the association between informal help-seeking intentions (e.g., friend, family), formal help-seeking intentions (e.g., psychologist), overall help-seeking intentions (all sources), and new-onset suicidal ideation. We conducted logistic regression analyses using a sample of 7,828 men aged 18-60 years.

RESULTS: Increased overall help-seeking intentions and informal help-seeking intentions were significantly associated with lower odds of new-onset suicidal ideation, whereas formal help-seeking intentions were not significantly associated. Limitations: The cross-sectional design limits inferences about causality.

CONCLUSION: Men who have greater informal help-seeking intentions may be less likely to experience a new onset of suicidal ideation; however, more longitudinal research is needed.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; help-seeking; men; self-reliance; suicidal ideation