Original Article
Measuring help-seeking behaviors: Factor structure, reliability, and validity among youth with disabilities
Yen K. Pham,
Ellen Hawley McWhirter,
Christopher Murray,
Corresponding Author
Yen K. Pham
Department of Educational Specialties, MSC05 3040, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131 USA
∗Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 505 277 7967, fax: +1 505 277 6929.Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Ellen Hawley McWhirter
Counseling Psychology and Human Services Department, 261 HEDCO Education Bldg., 5251 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403-5251 USA
∗Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 505 277 7967, fax: +1 505 277 6929.Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Christopher Murray
Special Education and Clinical Sciences Department, 209 Clinical Services Bldg., 5260 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403-5295 USA
∗Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 505 277 7967, fax: +1 505 277 6929.Search for more papers by this authorYen K. Pham,
Ellen Hawley McWhirter,
Christopher Murray,
Corresponding Author
Yen K. Pham
Department of Educational Specialties, MSC05 3040, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131 USA
∗Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 505 277 7967, fax: +1 505 277 6929.Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Ellen Hawley McWhirter
Counseling Psychology and Human Services Department, 261 HEDCO Education Bldg., 5251 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403-5251 USA
∗Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 505 277 7967, fax: +1 505 277 6929.Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Christopher Murray
Special Education and Clinical Sciences Department, 209 Clinical Services Bldg., 5260 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403-5295 USA
∗Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 505 277 7967, fax: +1 505 277 6929.Search for more papers by this authorABSTRACT
Existing measures of help-seeking focus on assessing attitudes and beliefs, rather than specific behaviors, toward help-seeking. This study described the development of a self-report measure of informal help-seeking behaviors (HSB). Participants were 228 high school students (148 males, 80 females) with disabilities from four states. Factor analyses revealed three underlying factors, each addressing a different source of help: parent, peer, and teacher. The HSB had good internal reliability and moderate validity. Results from regression analyses suggested that help-seeking behaviors toward parents and teachers contributed uniquely to students' self-ratings of school bonding, life satisfaction, and career outcome expectations. Help-seeking behaviors toward peers was a negative predictor of career outcome expectations. The value of the HSB as a research instrument was discussed.
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