Subjective religiosity and mental health service utilization: a descriptive study of the help-seeking attitudes and behaviors of students attending an HBCU

This study sought answers to two questions; Do high levels of subjective religiosity negatively impact collegiate utilization of professional mental health services? Do college students with high levels of subjective religiosity report favorable outcomes when they engage in professional counseling? Forty percent of students reporting high levels of subjective religiosity were either currently receiving counseling or therapy or had received counseling or therapy previously. Surprisingly, 94.8% of students reporting high levels of subjective religiosity identified counseling or therapy as helpful. Consistent with what has been reported in the literature, high levels of subjective religiosity were associated with lower rates of suicidal thoughts. Findings suggest an opportunity for collaboration with clergy to enhance delivery of mental health services to BIPOC groups reporting high levels of subjective religiosity. Implications for future research are also discussed.