Gender and ethnic differences in formal and informal help seeking among Israeli adolescents

This study examines the willingness of Jewish and Arab Israeli adolescents to look for help in times of distress and explores the factors that are associated with the willingness of these adolescents to look for help from formal vs. informal sources. The sample consisted of 6017 randomly selected respondents, 14–18 years old, attending secondary schools. Multiple regression analyses were used in order to explore what predicts formal vs. informal help seeking. Results indicate that satisfaction with school, family and friends, and ethnicity are all important predictors that are associated with the willingness of Israeli adolescents to ask for formal and informal help. The interaction between gender and ethnicity was also examined. The findings present the specific differences between formal and informal help seeking and are discussed in the Israeli context.