Vistas Online 2012

VISTAS Online is an innovative publication produced for ACA by Dr. Garry R. Walz and Dr. Jeanne C. Bleuer of Counseling Outfitters, LLC. Its purpose is to provide a means of capturing the ideas, information and experiences generated by the annual ACA Conference and selected ACA Division Conferences. Papers on a program or practice that has been validated through research or experience may also be submitted. This digital collection of peer-reviewed articles is authored by counselors, for counselors. VISTAS Online contains the full text of over 900 proprietary counseling articles published from 2004 to 2017.

2012


Passport to Wholeness: The Effects of a Campus Mental Health Fair on Help-Seeking Attitudes

Lucinda C. West and Anita Knight

2012

A university campus-wide event titled Passport to Wholeness was designed to increase awareness of health and wellness issues and decrease stigmas toward mental illness. A follow-up study of 375 students compared the scores on Fischer and Farina’s (1995) Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help-Short Form (ATSPPH-SF) between attendees and nonattendees. Attendees of Passport to Wholeness scored higher on help-seeking than non-attendees at the 90% confidence level; the difference was not enough for statistical significance. Participants were asked if they were more likely to refer to a professional after attending the event, resulting in a statistically significant difference between the attendees and non-attendees (attendees were more likely to refer). Stigma toward mental health was noted in the sample. Males scored significantly higher than females on the ATSPPH-SF, which is contrary to other literature. Lessons learned and keys to producing a successful campus-wide event are discussed.

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