| Popis: |
Social support is an important determinant of help-seeking in the context of mental health. Previous evidence shows differences in the relation between social support and help-seeking between more collectivistic vs. more individualistic cultures. Especially the cultural informed role of the family might play a key role in help-seeking decisions. Still, many studies have been conducted with minority groups in Western societies which have to face additional struggles due to immigration. The current study investigates help-seeking, social support, cultural values, and help-seeking intentions in the Cuban and German general populations. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was applied to n = 340 Cuban and n = 340 German adults. Multiple-group structural equation modeling was used to examine measurement invariance between the groups and to explore relationships between the concepts under study in both cultural groups. No measurement invariance could be established for the overall model and most of the measures separately which impedes cross-cultural comparisons. Using plausible values, the structural model was estimated in both samples separately. Not all hypotheses could be supported for the Cuban and German samples. Yet, social support and the importance of family predicted informal and formal help-seeking significantly but differently in both samples. In the light of methodological limitations, their potential to support or to prevent different forms of help-seeking are discussed and possible practical implications derived. |
