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Afghan refugee population in Austria: exploring mental health service utilization and attitudes toward seeking psychological help.

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Title: Afghan refugee population in Austria: exploring mental health service utilization and attitudes toward seeking psychological help.
Authors: Andisha, Pouya (AUTHOR), Lueger-Schuster, Brigitte (AUTHOR)
Source: International Journal of Mental Health. 2026, Vol. 55 Issue 2, p158-176. 19p.
Subjects: Competency assessment (Law), Afghans, Cross-sectional method, Pearson correlation (Statistics), Mental health services, T-test (Statistics), Psychology of refugees, Questionnaires, Interviewing, Pilot projects, Multiple regression analysis, Help-seeking behavior, Anxiety, Quantitative research, Descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test, Analysis of variance, Statistics, Sociodemographic factors, Data analysis software, Mental depression
Geographic Terms: Austria
Abstract: The mental health of asylum seekers and refugees, particularly those from Afghanistan, is a critical concern due to their high exposure to violence, trauma, and displacement-related stressors. Despite the significant prevalence of mental health problems, Afghan refugee populations exhibit low help-seeking behaviors and resistance to professional psychological support. This study examines the mental health status and psychological help-seeking behaviors of Afghan asylum seekers and refugees in Austria, focusing on how sociodemographic and sociocultural factors influence attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Data were collected from 305 Afghan participants (155 asylum seekers and 150 refugees) using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 for anxiety and depression, the International Trauma Questionnaire for ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD, and the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form. Results indicated high prevalence rates of anxiety (52.8%), depression (57.7%), ICD-11 PTSD (10.5%), and CPTSD (20.7%). Nearly half of those with mental health symptoms had never sought professional help, highlighting significant underutilization of services. Participants who came directly from Afghanistan exhibited significantly more negative attitudes toward seeking psychological help compared to those from Iran or Pakistan. Young adults and individuals who had never received mental health services also displayed more negative attitudes. Multiple linear regression analysis identified not having received mental health services, arriving directly from Afghanistan, and being a young adult as significant factors associated with negative attitudes toward seeking psychological help. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, culturally sensitive approaches, and educational efforts to improve mental health service utilization among Afghan refugee populations in Austria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of International Journal of Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Afghan refugee population in Austria: exploring mental health service utilization and attitudes toward seeking psychological help.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andisha%2C+Pouya%22">Andisha, Pouya</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lueger-Schuster%2C+Brigitte%22">Lueger-Schuster, Brigitte</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Mental+Health%22">International Journal of Mental Health</searchLink>. 2026, Vol. 55 Issue 2, p158-176. 19p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Competency+assessment+%28Law%29%22">Competency assessment (Law)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Afghans%22">Afghans</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross-sectional+method%22">Cross-sectional method</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pearson+correlation+%28Statistics%29%22">Pearson correlation (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health+services%22">Mental health services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22T-test+%28Statistics%29%22">T-test (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+refugees%22">Psychology of refugees</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Questionnaires%22">Questionnaires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviewing%22">Interviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pilot+projects%22">Pilot projects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multiple+regression+analysis%22">Multiple regression analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Help-seeking+behavior%22">Help-seeking behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety%22">Anxiety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Quantitative+research%22">Quantitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chi-squared+test%22">Chi-squared test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Analysis+of+variance%22">Analysis of variance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sociodemographic+factors%22">Sociodemographic factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+depression%22">Mental depression</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Austria%22">Austria</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The mental health of asylum seekers and refugees, particularly those from Afghanistan, is a critical concern due to their high exposure to violence, trauma, and displacement-related stressors. Despite the significant prevalence of mental health problems, Afghan refugee populations exhibit low help-seeking behaviors and resistance to professional psychological support. This study examines the mental health status and psychological help-seeking behaviors of Afghan asylum seekers and refugees in Austria, focusing on how sociodemographic and sociocultural factors influence attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Data were collected from 305 Afghan participants (155 asylum seekers and 150 refugees) using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 for anxiety and depression, the International Trauma Questionnaire for ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD, and the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form. Results indicated high prevalence rates of anxiety (52.8%), depression (57.7%), ICD-11 PTSD (10.5%), and CPTSD (20.7%). Nearly half of those with mental health symptoms had never sought professional help, highlighting significant underutilization of services. Participants who came directly from Afghanistan exhibited significantly more negative attitudes toward seeking psychological help compared to those from Iran or Pakistan. Young adults and individuals who had never received mental health services also displayed more negative attitudes. Multiple linear regression analysis identified not having received mental health services, arriving directly from Afghanistan, and being a young adult as significant factors associated with negative attitudes toward seeking psychological help. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, culturally sensitive approaches, and educational efforts to improve mental health service utilization among Afghan refugee populations in Austria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=194088410
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/00207411.2024.2444464
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 158
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Competency assessment (Law)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Afghans
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cross-sectional method
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pearson correlation (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental health services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: T-test (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of refugees
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pilot projects
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multiple regression analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Help-seeking behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anxiety
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Quantitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Chi-squared test
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Analysis of variance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sociodemographic factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental depression
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Austria
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Afghan refugee population in Austria: exploring mental health service utilization and attitudes toward seeking psychological help.
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Andisha, Pouya
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            NameFull: Lueger-Schuster, Brigitte
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            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: 2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
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              Value: 00207411
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              Value: 55
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              Value: 2
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            – TitleFull: International Journal of Mental Health
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