Level of Psychological Stress and Help-Seeking Behaviour among University Students in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Abstract

Mental health problems are no longer uncommon among youth age group especially students. Knowledge and early detection of good mental health can help in effective mental health care as well as able to reduce stigma about mental illness. Therefore, the objective of this study is to measure the level of psychological stress and help-seeking behaviour. This study uses quantitative methods, which are a face-to-face questionnaire and Google Form to collect the required information. The study involved 152 university students in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The instrument used to measure psychological stress is the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). The results showed that psychological stress levels were moderate. Therefore, efforts by the responsible parties should be made such as conducting preliminary assessment tests and screening programs for psychological stress among students, especially to facilitate early detection of any mental health problems to avoid more serious problems such as suicide ideation, suicide attempts and suicidal behaviour.