Abstract
This study examined the psychometric properties of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale – Short Form (ATSPPH-SF) in a sample of Peruvian adults aged 18 and older. A non-experimental, cross-sectional, instrumental design was employed with 403 participants selected through convenience sampling. Following an exploratory factor analysis, two items with low factor loadings were removed, resulting in a final version of 8 items grouped into two correlated factors. The two-factor model showed a high RMSEA (0.122), likely due to the limited degrees of freedom; however, other fit indices supported an acceptable model fit (CFI = 0.934; TLI = 0.891; SRMR = 0.070). Additionally, the Omega coefficient indicated satisfactory internal consistency for both factors. Overall, the findings support the ATSPPH-SF as a valid and reliable tool for assessing attitudes toward seeking psychological help in the Peruvian context.
References
Aiken, L. R. (1985). Validity and reliability of the Aiken's content validity index. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 45(1), 133–137. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164485451012
Alicandú-Rios, M.C., López-León, S., Redondo-Altahona, L.S., Nieto-Godoy, S., Rodríguez-Aperador, L.-J., & Riveros Munévar, F. (2024). Design and Validation of the Attitudes Towards Mental Health Helplines Scale (ATMHHS) for the Adult Colombian Population. International Journal of Psychological Research, 56(1), 45-60. https://doi.org/10.21500/20112084.6218
Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1980). Understanding attitudes and predicting social behavior. PrenticeHall. https://openlibrary.org/books/OL9299890M/Understanding_Attitudes_and_Predicting_Social_Behavior
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Ato, M., López-García, J. J., & Benavente, A. (2013). A classification system for research designs in psychology. Anales de Psicología / Annals of Psychology, 29(3), 1038–1059. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.29.3.178511
Bakkeli, N. Z. (2022). Predicting psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: do socioeconomic factors matter?. Social Science Computer Review, 41(4), 1227-1251. https://doi.org/10.1177/08944393211069622
Cain, M. K., Zhang, Z., & Yuan, K.-H. (2017). Univariate and multivariate skewness and kurtosis for measuring nonnormality: Prevalence, influence and estimation. Behavior Research Methods, 49(5), 1716–1735. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-016-0814-1
Chen, P., Liu, X. J., Wang, X. Q., Yang, B. X., Ruan, J., & Liu, Z. (2020). Attitude toward seeking professional psychological help among community-dwelling population in China. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 417. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00417
Choctaya Choctaya, G. L., & Carcelén Reluz, C. G. (2025). Barreras de acceso en salud mental y adherencia al tratamiento antidepresivo en un Centro Comunitario de Lima-Perú. Revista Cubana de Salud Pública, 51, e_26692. https://revsaludpublica.sld.cu/index.php/spu/article/view/26692
Cusihuaman-Lope, N., Vilela-Estrada, A. L., Cavero, V., Villarreal-Zegarra, D., & Diez-Canseco, F. (2023). Experiences of users and family members on the care received at community mental health centers in Lima and Callao during the COVID-19 pandemic. Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Pública, 40(3), 278-86. https://doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2023.403.12717
Delgado, E., Fábregas, F., & Guillén, A. (2021). Salud mental y pobreza, una curva peligrosa. Revista Encuentro, 2, 1-16. https://www.consaludmental.org/publicaciones/Revista-encuentro-n2-2021.pdf
Fischer, E. H., & Farina, A. (1995). Attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help: A shortened form and considerations for research. Journal of College Student Development, 36(4), 368–373. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ545759
Fischer, E. H., & Turner, J. L. (1970). Orientation to seeking professional psychological help: A national survey of psychological students and practitioners. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 35(4), 586–591. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0029636
Gearing, R. E., et al. (2024). Pathways to mental health care: Latinos’ help-seeking preferences. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 12(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1037/lat0000237
Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity. Prentice-Hall. https://cdn.penguin.co.uk/dam-assets/books/9780241548011/9780241548011-sample.pdf
Halvorsen, A., Wood, D., Jefferson, D., Stasko, T., Hui, J., & Reddy, A. (2023). Examination of New York City Transit’s bus and subway ridership trends during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transportation Research Record, 2677(4), 51-64. https://www.worldtransitresearch.info/research/9817/
Hair, J. F., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Black, W. C. (2019). Multivariate Data Analysis (8th ed.). England: Pearson Prentice. https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=2975006
Henares Montiel, J., Ruiz-Pérez, I., & Sordo, L. (2020). Salud mental en España y diferencias por sexo y por comunidades autónomas. Gaceta Sanitaria, 34(2), 114-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2019.03.002
Hernández, R., Fernández, C., & Baptista, P. (2010). Metodología de la investigación (5a ed.). McGrawHill.
Instituto Nacional de Salud Mental. (2022). Estudio Epidemiológico de Salud Mental en Arequipa, Moquegua y Puno, 2018. Informe General. Anales de Salud Mental Vol. XXXVIII, Año 2022. Número 1.
Kenny, D. A., Kaniskan, B., & McCoach, D. B. (2015). The performance of RMSEA in models with small degrees of freedom. Sociological Methods & Research, 44(3), 486–507. https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124114543236
Kline, R. B. (2023). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (4th ed.). The Guilford Press. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379694768_Methodology_in_the_Social_Sciences_Rex_B_Kline_-_Principles_and_Practice_of_Structural_Equation_Modeling-The_Guilford_Press_2023
Liu, J., & Zhang, Y. (2024). Understanding and facilitating mental health help-seeking of young adults: A socio-technical ecosystem framework. Association for Computing Machinery. 1(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2401.08994
Mascayano, F., Armijo, J. E., & Yang, L. H. (2015). Addressing mental health stigma in low- and middle-income countries. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 6, Article 38. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00038
Mascayano, F., Toso-Salman, J., Ho, Y. C. S., Dev, S., Tapia, T., Thornicroft, G., Cabassa, L.J., Khenti, A., Sapag, J., Bobbili, S.J., Alvarado, R., Yang, L. H. & Susser, E. (2020). Including culture in programs to reduce stigma toward people with mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries. Transcultural Psychiatry, 57(1), 140–152. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461519890964
Montoro, J. P., & Ceballo, R. (2021). Latinx adolescents facing multiple stressors and the protective role of familismo. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 27(4), 705–716. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000461
Moreno, X., & Moreno, F. (2024). Attitudes towards seeking psychological help among community-dwelling older adults enrolled in primary care in Chile. BMC Geriatrics, 23(1), 86. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-04986-3
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (s. f.). Hispanic/Latinx. Recuperado el 20 de juniode 2025 de https://www.nami.org/your-journey/identity-and-cultural-dimensions/hispanic-latinx/
Nazari, A., Garmaroudi, G., Foroushani, A.R. & Askari, A. (2024). Psychometric assessment of the Persian adaptation of the attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help scale-short form. BMC Psychiatry 24, 75 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05388-2
Nurdiyanto, F. A., Wulandari, R. M., & Wodong, G. M. A. (2021). Attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help: Adaptation and evaluation of ATSPPH-SF using the Rasch model. Jurnal Psikologi, 48(3), 256. https://doi.org/10.22146/jpsi.65541
Qiu, L., Xu, H., Li, Y., Zhao, Y., & Yang, Q. (2024). Gender differences in attitudes towards psychological help‑seeking among Chinese medical students: a comparative analysis. BMC Public Health, 24, Article 1314. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18826-x
Rayan, A., Baker, O., & Fawaz, M. (2020). Propiedades psicométricas de la escala de actitudes hacia la búsqueda de ayuda psicológica profesional (formato breve) en estudiantes universitarios jordanos. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.10381607.0014.102
Salinas-Oñate, N., Baeza-Rivera, M. J., Escobar, B., Coloma, J., & Carreño, M. (2018). Predictores culturales y psicológicos de la búsqueda de ayuda psicológica en estudiantes universitarios. Cultura-hombre-sociedad, 28(1), 79–101. https://www.scielo.cl/pdf/cuhso/v28n1/0719-2789-cuhso-_2018_cuhso_01_a03.pdf
Shi, W., Shen, Z., Wang, S., & Hall, B. J. (2020). Barriers to professional mental health help‑seeking among Chinese adults: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, Article 442. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00442
Torres, L., Magnus, B., & Najar, N. (2020). Assessing the Psychometric Proprieties of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale–Short Form (ATSPPH-SF) Among Latino Adults. Assessment, 28(1), 211-224. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191119899470
Trizano-Hermosilla, I., & Alvarado, J. M. (2016). Best alternatives to Cronbach’s alpha reliability in realistic conditions: Congeneric and asymmetrical measurements. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 769. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00769
Vasan, S., Eikelis, N., Lim, M.H. & Lambert, E. (2023) Evaluating the impact of loneliness and social isolation on health literacy and health-related factors in young adults. Frontiers in Psychology. 14:996611. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.996611
Vásquez-Paredes, P. J., & Esquivel-Cerquín, J. D. (2025). Salud mental y telemedicina en la atención primaria rural del Perú: Influencia y diferencias de género en el estigma y la aceptación. Atención Primaria, 57(8), 103229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aprim.2025.103229
Valle, R. (2022). Validez, confiabilidad y utilidad clínica de los trastornos mentales: el caso de la esquizofrenia de la CIE-11. Revista Colombiana de Psiquiatría, 51(1), 61–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcp.2020.09.004
Valerius, K., Evans, L., & Smith, J. (2024). Personal experience with mental health services and its influence on attitudes toward professional help-seeking in rural populations. BMC Psychiatry, 24, Article 5521. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-05521-9
Viladrich, C., Angulo-Brunet, A., & Doval, E. (2017). A journey around alpha and omega to estimate internal consistency reliability. Anales de Psicología / Annals of Psychology, 33(3), 755–782. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.33.3.268401

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.