Perceived Organisational Support, Attitude Toward Help-Seeking, and Intention to Seek Mental Health Counselling Support among Employees in Guangzhou, China
Keywords:
Attitude Toward Help-Seeking, Intention to Seek Mental Health Counselling Support, Perceived Organisational Support, Mediation Analysis, Workplace Mental Health, GuangzhouAbstract
Mental health concerns in the workplace have received increasing attention, yet employees may remain hesitant to seek formal support even when mental health support services are available. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Organisational Support Theory, this study examines the relationship between perceived organisational support (POS), attitude toward help-seeking, and employees’ intention to seek mental health counselling support. Data were collected from 384 full-time employees in Guangzhou, China, using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was conducted using SPSS, while the measurement and structural models were assessed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that POS had a significant positive effect on attitude toward help-seeking (β = 0.419, p < 0.001) and intention to seek mental health counselling support (β = 0.173, p < 0.001). Attitude toward help-seeking had the strongest direct effect on intention (β = 0.554, p < 0.001) and partially mediated the relationship between POS and intention (indirect effect = 0.232, p < 0.001). The proposed model explained 41.7% of the variance in employees’ intention to seek mental health counselling support. These findings suggest that supportive organisational environments may strengthen employees’ help-seeking intention by fostering more favourable attitudes toward professional mental health support. The study provides practical implications for organisations seeking to improve the effectiveness and utilisation of workplace mental health support services.
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