An Information Acquisition Approach on How Young Adults Search for Mental Health Professionals

Using a computer-based, information acquisition process tracing task (MouselabWEB), participants (<i>N</i> = 100) were presented with varying types and amounts of information and were tasked with choosing a mental health professional (MHP). Results of this lab-based study indicated that the tendency to engage in heuristically-driven decision-making process increases as MHP choice and cognitive burden increases. When MHP choices are limited, participants tend to acquire information on MHP’s age, treatment orientation, education, and years of experience. As MHP choices increase, MHP gender and ethnicity information were utilized the most, and education and years of experience utilized the least.