TITLE:
The Role of Religious Affiliation in Seeking Mental-Health Help
AUTHORS:
Niwako Yamawaki, Sabrina Ulloa Bley, Amy Orton, Sarah Andal, Evan Nowlon, Kelcee Richeson, Adrian Bautista
KEYWORDS:
Mental Health, Intention to Seek Help, Atheist, Christian, Stigma
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Nursing,
Vol.16 No.4,
April
20,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study examines how religious affiliation, atheism versus Christianity, impacted mental-health help-seeking intentions amid persistent service underutilization. A sample of 136 adults, self-identifying as atheist or Christian, completed an online survey assessing differing patterns of how attitudes, public, and self-stigma impact intention to seek help between Christians and atheists. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that religious affiliation significantly influenced intentions to seek mental health services, with atheists reporting greater intention to seek help in comparison to Christians. Both attitude and self-stigma were significant predictors of intention to seek help. Interestingly, the relationship between self-stigma and intention to seek help was significantly negatively associated among atheists, and significantly positive among Christians. These findings highlight the role of religious affiliation in shaping help-seeking intention and underscore the importance of culturally sensitive approaches to intervention. The results contribute to the broader discourse on belief systems, stigma, and access to care in diverse populations.