Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons^™

“It’S Just Hard Reaching Out”: Factors Affecting Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Independent College Students., Beth Sapiro, Svetlana Shpiegel, Silvia Ramirez Quiroz, Marissa Ventola, Oomi Helen Nwankwo, Tariro Munyereyi

Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Foster care alumni and other independent students experience considerable difficulties in pursuit of higher education, due to a lack of family support, financial problems, and the impacts of their experiences of maltreatment and system involvement. Nonetheless, many of these students are reluctant to reach out for help when they encounter academic or personal challenges. The purpose of the present study was to examine factors affecting help seeking behaviors among foster care alumni and other independent students enrolled in a four-year university. We conducted in-depth, individual interviews with 23 independent students ages 18-23, as well as 5 university staff connected to …