Abstract

Basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—are foundational to well-being and may significantly influence help-seeking behaviors. This cross-sectional quantitative study examined the relationship between these needs and the mental help-seeking attitudes of 262 undergraduate students. Results indicated a significant but very weak positive correlation between autonomy and help-seeking attitude (*r* = .157, *p* = .010), suggesting that a greater sense of personal agency may slightly encourage openness to seeking support. No significant relationships were found for competence or relatedness. Qualitative insights from a supplementary focus group further identified key barriers to help-seeking, including personal stigma, financial constraints, and a lack of awareness of available services. The findings underscore that while fostering autonomy may be beneficial, structural and attitudinal barriers play a more substantial role in shaping help-seeking intentions. This study provides practical implications for university administrators and mental health professionals to design targeted programs that address these multifaceted barriers, thereby improving students’ access to and engagement with mental health support.

Keywords

  • basic psychological needs
  • autonomy
  • competence
  • relatedness
  • mental help- seeking attitude

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