Exploring attitudes towards mental health difficulties and help-seeking in older adults through a stigma lens: Does self-compassion play a role?

This article examines attitudes toward mental health difficulties (MHDs), internalised ageism, help-seeking, and self-compassion (SC) among 74 UK adults aged 65 and older. The study found that older adults generally hold positive attitudes toward individuals with MHDs and show a preference for seeking help from non-professional sources rather than mental health professionals. While positive attitudes toward ageing were only weakly related to mental health attitudes, and SC was associated with positive mental health attitudes, SC did not mediate the relationship between mental health attitudes and help-seeking behavior. The findings highlight the complexity of factors influencing help-seeking in older adults and suggest further research is needed to better understand these dynamics and to inform targeted interventions addressing under-utilization of psychological services in this population.