Mental Health Conditions in Young Asian Adults and Motivation to Seek Counseling: A Cross-Country Study

Abstract

Mental illness is a prevalent and pressing public health problem among the Asian population, especially among young adults. This study examined the psychosocial predictors of the intention to seek counseling based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the effects of mental health conditions on the relative contributions of the TPB predictors in forming the intention among Asian young adults. The survey results in Singapore (n = 232) and Hong Kong (n = 998) revealed that attitudes, descriptive norms, and self-efficacy significantly predicted the intention to seek counseling in both Asian sites. In addition, the descriptive norms-intention association was stronger among those in a better mental health condition than among those with a worse mental health condition for both samples. The findings extend the literature on the TPB, as well as provide tailored strategies to promote counseling seeking among Asian young adults.