“But What Will People Think?‪”‬

Objective: Parental help-seeking is a crucial first step in obtaining care for children with psychosocial problems. Stigma has been shown to predict help-seeking in the adult literature, but has been relatively unexamined in regard to parental help-seeking. The present study examined the relationship between stigma and parental help-seeking after controlling for demographics, child behavior, and barriers to treatment. Method: Participants were 115 parents of children ages 4-8 years, who were surveyed during well-child visits in a rural, pediatric, primary care practice. Parental perceptions of self-stigma, public stigma toward the parent and child, personal impact of stigma toward the parent and child, and perceived likelihood to attend parenting classes were assessed. Results: Parents rated children as significantly more likely to be publicly stigmatized and personally impacted by stigma than their parents. In hierarchical linear regression analyses, after controlling for barriers to treatment and child behavior, parents rated themselves as significantly more likely to attend parenting classes with lower levels of self-stigma and greater levels of personal impact of stigma. However, the degree of stigma towards the child was not associated with perceived likelihood of attending parenting classes. Child behavior also moderated the relationship between stigma and parental help-seeking. Conclusion: When referring parents to treatment, providers should address potential parental concerns regarding how they will self-stigmatize or be stigmatized for attending treatment. Future research on parental help-seeking should assess the contribution of the stigma of attending treatment as well as the stigma of having a child with behavior problems.