Psychological help seeking attitudes of psychological counselor candidates

This research is a descriptive study examining the attitudes of universitystudentsstudying in a Psychological Counseling and GuidanceProgram (PCG). This investigation sought to understand whether demographic characteristics of PCG undergraduate studentswere related to their attitudes toward seeking help. The sample included 416 students studying in PCG undergraduate programs in state universities in Turkey. The Psychological Assistance Seeking Attitude Scale and Personal Information Form were used to collect information from the participants. Multivariate analysis of variance, Scheffe Test for multiple comparisons, and t-test analysis for independent samples were used. Results indicated that age, grade point average, grade level, type and duration of psychological counseling assistance received, type of help received by individuals who had previously received counseling, and settlement hierarchy of participants, and their families were statistically significant. There was a significant difference between the participants' attitudes to receiving help, gender, the status of having previously received psychological counseling assistance, coming with their own will when choosing the department, finding the department appropriate to their personality, interests and abilities, and being satisfied with the department. Keywords: help seeking, psychological counseling, psychological support, psychological counseling and guidance