Predictive roles of dyadic adjustment and perceived social support in explaining psychological help-seeking attitudes of married individuals

The main purpose of the study was to determine the predictive roles of dyadic adjustment and perceived social support in the explanation of psychological help-seeking attitudes of married individuals. Additionally, the difference among attitudes toward psychological help-seeking, dyadic adjustment and perceived social support of married individuals according to gender, child status and meeting type of the couple were examined. This study was conducted as quantitative research with predictive correlational research design. Demographics form, Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale – Short Form, The Perceived Adjustment Scale in Close Relationships and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were utilized through conducting an online survey. 320 volunteer married individuals participated in the study and data analysis were held through SPSS 21.0. To determine predictive roles of dyadic adjustment and perceived social support on psychological help-seeking attitudes of married individuals, multiple linear regression analysis; to determine whether main variables of the study differed by gender and child status, independent samples t-test analysis; whether main variables of the study differed by meeting type of the couple, one way ANOVA analysis were conducted. According to the results, Relations with Family of Origin Adjustment sub-dimension of dyadic adjustment and Family sub-dimension of perceived social support predicted married individuals' attitudes toward psychological help-seeking. Attitudes toward psychological help-seeking significantly differed by gender; dyadic adjustment and its sub-dimensions significantly differed by gender, child status and meeting type of the couple; and, perceived social support and its sub-dimensions were significantly differed by gender and the meeting type of the couple. Findings of the current study were discussed in regard to relevant literature and suggestions for future academic studies and practice were presented. Key Words: Attitudes Toward Psychological Help-Seeking, Dyadic Adjustment, Perceived Social Support, Married Individuals