Examining correlates of police officers’ attitudes towards seeking mental health support: A scoping review

Abstract

Police officers are often unwilling to seek psychological support when needed. This scoping review explored research into the correlates of police help-seeking attitudes. Searches returned 1754 initial results, with 21 quantitative, peer-reviewed studies retained (published 1995–2022 across six countries; of moderate quality). The most consistent positive associates of police help-seeking attitudes were past help-seeking, perceived service availability, and having a mental health diagnosis. Current PTSD symptoms were the most consistent negative associate. However, of the 102 correlates identified, most were under-researched and/or had inconsistent findings. The operationalisation of terms also varied greatly. High-quality replication of current research is now needed.