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Social capital plays a key role in college students' academic and career success. Using a random assignment design, the current study evaluated the impacts of a one-credit college course designed to increase student help-seeking and social capital within a racially diverse sample of college students. Compared to the control group, students in the treatment group reported improved attitudes towards help-seeking, increased help-seeking behavior, and higher levels of social capital and mentoring support. Academic benefits were mixed, however, with an increase in academic self-efficacy, no impact on college GPA, and a decrease in academic cognitive engagement. Additionally, differential impacts based on year in college, race, and first-generation college student status were observed. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Despite high rates of mental health concerns among youth, they are unlikely to receive mental health care, with mental health stigma acting as a barrier. The present study explores youth perceptions of the influences of stigma and what should be done to address it, drawing on a large (n = 705) mixed methods dataset of youth aged 14 to 24 from the National MyVoice Text Message Cohort. Thematic analysis indicated four themes: (1) perceptions of high levels of ignorance about mental health, (2) a continuum from a desire for greater openness to a desire for privacy related to mental health, (3) feeling shamed and dismissed for mental health concerns, and (4) the role of adults in perpetuating of mental health stigma and adults' responsibility in combating it. Subgroup comparisons revealed variations in endorsement of themes based on gender, age, and race/ethnicity. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]