Help-seeking for mental health and substance use problems among people in contact with the criminal justice system: a mixed-methods social network analysis
Catriona Connell, David Griffiths, Jessica Greenhalgh, Morgan Torrance · 2026
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Description
Catriona Connell, David Griffiths, Jessica Greenhalgh, and Morgan Torrance mapped the social networks of fifty people. All were in contact with the criminal justice system. The team wanted to understand why they do or do not seek help for mental health and substance use problems. Their 2026 mixed-methods study combined network mapping with interviews about stigma and the perceived value of support.
Five distinct network types emerged, differing in structure, membership, and culture. What the people around someone knew and believed about mental health, substance use, and asking for help proved to shape the individual's own choices, as did attitudes in the wider community. The authors advise services to design outreach around network type rather than the isolated person. Adding diverse contacts with different perspectives can shift a network's culture. Messages also need tailoring. People should know when, where, and how to get help.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Catriona Connell, David Griffiths, Jessica Greenhalgh, Morgan Torrance |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 62105 |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |