Journal of Rural Mental Health, Vol 48(4), Oct 2024, 241-246; doi:10.1037/rmh0000271
Children with mental health concerns in rural settings are less likely than those in urban settings to receive treatment. Caregiver mental health stigma predicts willingness to seek services. Furthermore, reduced access to care in rural areas may result in limited exposure to and knowledge about the extent and benefits of behavioral health services. Thus, the present study tested a brief educational intervention to decrease stigma and increase willingness to seek services through improving caregiver knowledge and familiarity with behavioral health services. Caregivers (n = 64) of children in a rural pediatric primary care office were randomly assigned to the intervention or control. Caregivers who reviewed the educational information were more willing to seek services in a doctor’s office, private practice, mental health center, and via videoconferencing. Across groups, caregivers were most willing to seek services from a private practice, doctor’s office, and mental health center. Although there was a slight unwillingness to seek services via telehealth, almost half of the caregivers endorsed being willing to seek treatment in this modality. Caregivers reported that accessibility, information about the provider or service, general information about behavioral health services, and receiving a doctor’s referral would increase comfort or ease of seeking services. Coupled with continued efforts to improve access to behavioral health care for youth in rural areas, this brief intervention is promising and could be easily disseminated. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)