Danquah, Rudney Odoi (2023-01). Examining the Moderation Effect of Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors on Burnout, Depression, and Disengagement Among Racial Justice Activists in College. Doctoral Dissertation.
Thesis
Racial justice activism burnout has shown to lead to issues with disengagement in activist movements. Scholars have identified various causes, such as expending large amounts of emotional labor, hostility from outside institutions, and undesirable treatment from other activists, that exacerbate burnout symptoms. Racial justice activists face physical and mental exhaustion, cynicism, and ineffectiveness at varying degrees. Furthermore, research has shown that burnout negatively affects an individual's physical and psychological health, and many who experience burnout meet criteria for depressive symptoms. These adverse symptoms make it difficult for student activists to stay engaged in racial justice movements while simultaneously being present for their academic and occupational workloads. Scholars have researched formal and informal help-seeking behaviors and have found that activists are more likely to engage in informal help-seeking to address their mental health concerns. Although receiving informal help can be beneficial, formal help-seeking is associated with lower levels of distress. This study examined the relationship between the components of burnout, depressive symptoms, disengagement, and mental health help-seeking behaviors among racial justice activists using a moderated mediation model. Data was collected on 404 self-identified racial justice activists in college ranging from 18 to 63 (M = 22.4 years; SD = 5.7 years). The participants ranged from freshman to doctoral level students in an array of academic majors. Results show a positive correlation between emotional exhaustion and depressive symptoms and cynicism and depressive symptoms. Additionally, results indicated a negative correlation between depressive symptoms and disengagement. Depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between emotional exhaustion and disengagement and cynicism and disengagement. Additionally, mental health help-seeking behaviors did not moderate the relationship between the components of burnout, depressive symptoms, and disengagement.
