Document Type
Poster Presentation
Publication Date
4-24-2026
Year of Award
2026
Date Assignment Submitted
2026
Abstract
Mental health services are available across U.S. universities, yet many Generation Z students experiencing psychological distress do not make use of them. Researchers have identified stigma, limited mental health literacy, concerns about confidentiality, and negative past experiences as possible explanations for low engagement. Students move through several stages when using services, including initiating help-seeking, attending appointments, and continuing over time. Existing models tend to focus primarily on external barriers, giving less attention to internal motivational factors that influence whether students decide to engage at all. Self-determination theory offers a framework for examining this issue. When students do not see help-seeking as personally meaningful, they may never begin the process. Low autonomous motivation, the internal drive to engage in an activity, may contribute to persistent underutilization of university mental health services. If students feel that help is being pushed onto them or that it conflicts with their sense of identity, they may avoid services or disengage after they begin participating. Even when services are readily available and easily accessible, students may lack the motivation to use them. Examining motivation alongside traditional barrier models shifts attention toward how students experience the decision to seek help. Simply offering services does not mean students will use them. Some students may recognize the need for support but still hesitate if the decision does not feel like their own. Looking at this internal process may help explain why available resources continue to go unused.
Publisher
Lynn University
Conference/Symposium
Lynn University Student Research Symposium
Contest
Poster Presentations: Social Science category
City/State
Boca Raton, FL
Department
College of Arts and Sciences
Instructor
Faculty Sponsor: Professor Brandy Whitford
Recommended Citation
Shukla, Vishwa and Whitford, Brandy, "Autonomous Motivation and Campus Mental Health Services Utilization" (2026). Student Publications and Presentations. 237.
https://spiral.lynn.edu/studentpubs/237
