Abstract
Active duty military wives experience many stressors due to military culture which results in high rates of stress and mental disorders. This highlights the need for research on predictors of mental health help-seeking amongst military wives. This study utilized the theory of planned behavior (i.e., attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms) and mental health literacy (i.e., mental health knowledge) to predict mental health help-seeking intentions in 147 active duty military wives and explored whether these relationships differed based on sexual orientation and race/ethnicity. Hierarchical multiple regressions indicated that for the sample, perceived behavioral control was the only significant predictor of mental health help-seeking intentions such that higher levels of perceived behavioral control were associated with stronger intentions. Race/ethnicity was a moderator and simple effects revealed that for White, but not racially/ethnically minoritized participants, more positive attitudes was associated with more mental health help-seeking intentions. Further, sexual orientation was a moderator and simple effects showed that for sexually minoritized, but not heterosexual participants, more mental health knowledge was associated with stronger mental health help-seeking intentions. This study highlights the need to increase military wives’ perceived behavioral control through development of outreach programs, establishment of mental health and childcare clinics that have flexible hours, and changes in workplace paid leave policies. Future research is needed to examine specific cultural factors unique to the experiences of different groups, to develop new measures, and to examine how the results of this study may be different when COVID-19 is not as prevalent.