Lived Experiences of Mental Health and Help-Seeking Among Haitian College Students in South Florida

Mental health stigma remains a significant barrier to help-seeking among Haitian college students, where mental illness is often misunderstood, minimized, or associated with shame. Despite the availability of campus mental health services, utilization remains low. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how mental health stigma influenced Haitian college students’ lived experiences and willingness to seek support.

Participants included Haitian and Haitian American college students in South Florida. Data was collected through an online survey (n = 20) and semi-structured interviews (n = 7). The survey provided demographic context, while the interviews served as the primary data source. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis.

Five themes emerged: (a) mental health is misunderstood or minimized, (b) family and cultural expectations influence help-seeking behaviors, (c) cultural disconnect within mental health services, (d) reliance on informal coping strategies, and (e) the need for culturally responsive resources. Participants described limited discussion of mental health during childhood, which contributed to ongoing stigma and reluctance to seek professional support.

Findings highlighted the need for culturally responsive practices in higher education. Implications include improving cultural competence among mental health professionals, increasing culturally relevant outreach efforts, and expanding peer-based support systems to better serve Haitian college students.