MOSCOW, 22 November 2022. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey devoted to the need for mental health services among Russians.
Heart-to-heart talks
The November survey data show that 15% of Russians need help with their mental health more often compared to last year; only 2%, less often (−6 p.p. compared to 2018).
Two-thirds of respondents say they never feel any need to cry on someone’s shoulder – they solve their problems on their own (68%). Today this number has hit its high. Russian independence in copying with stress has been growing over the recent nine years from 2009 to 2018. Whereas in 2009 every fifth respondent was able to cope with stress independently (20%), in 2018 only every second reports the same (54%). Thirteen percent of Russians say their need for professional mental health services is the same as in the previous year. This percentage has decreased four-fold since 2009 (53% in 2009).
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Trust in psychologists
Russian views of the levels of public trust in professionals providing mental health services have not changed much over the recent two years. Twenty-nine percent of Russians say that the trust levels have been the same (27% in 2020). A quarter of respondents say the trust levels have increased (24%; 27% in 2020); 8% report a decrease. Thirty-nine percent of Russians remained undecided.
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Demand for professional psychological help
Russian independence in copying with stressful situations is confirmed by weak demand for professional psychological help: 87% have never reached out for professional help (psychologists, psychotherapists, psychoanalysis, etc.). However, public demand for this kind of services has been steadily growing. Over the recent 13 years the share of those who asked for professional psychological help has doubled (6% in 2009 vs. 12% in 2022). Eight percent of Russians point out successful output; 4%, unsuccessful, which means that the experiences with professionals were likely positive.
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VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide telephone survey was conducted 12 November, 2022. A total of 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over took part in the survey. Survey method: telephone interviews, stratified random sample based on a complete list mobile phone numbers in use in Russia. The data were weighted according to social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Key effectiveness indicators, November 12, 2022: cooperation rate (CR)* = 0.8323; minimum response rate (MRR)** = 0.0236; response rate (RR)*** = 0.1616. Based on corporate standards: https://profi.wciom.ru/principy_standarty/korporativnyj-standart-po-izmereniyu-rezultativnosti-oprosov-sputnik-vciom/
* CR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews and b) non-interviews with eligible respondents.
** MRR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews, b) interrupted interviews after successful screening and c) all the respondents where it is unknown whether they meet the selected criteria or not.
** RR is calculated in the same way as MRR, with the only difference that the number of respondents with unknown eligibility decreases proportional to the percentage of eligible cases in the total number of respondents with identified eligibility or non-eligibility.
Do you feel the need for a heart-to-heart talk/to cry on someone’s shoulder/to find someone who would help you mentally more often this year compared to the previous year, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||
| 2009* | 2018 | 2020 | 2022 |
More often than in the previous year | 18 | 15 | 14 | 15 |
Same as in the previous year | 53 | 22 | 23 | 13 |
Less often than in the previous year | 6 | 8 | 5 | 2 |
I never have this need, I cope with my problems by myself | 20 | 54 | 56 | 68 |
Don’t know | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Do you feel the need for a heart-to-heart talk/to cry on someone’s shoulder/to find someone who would help you mentally more often this year compared to the previous year, or not? ( closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
Total respondents | Male | Female | Ages 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 and older | |
More often than in the previous year | 15 | 11 | 18 | 35 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 11 |
Same as in the previous year | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 9 |
Less often than in the previous year | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
I never have this need, I cope with my problems by myself | 68 | 74 | 64 | 49 | 57 | 67 | 73 | 77 |
Don’t know | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Let’s talk about mental health professionals (psychologists, psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, etc.). In your opinion, do Russians trust psychologists today more than before, less than before or the same as before? ( closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||
| 2020 | 2022 |
More than before | 27 | 24 |
Less than before | 9 | 8 |
The same as before | 27 | 29 |
Don’t know | 37 | 39 |
Have you ever reached out for professional help in mental health issues? If yes, what are the results? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||
| 2009* | 2018 | 2022 |
Yes, I’ve reached out for help; my problem was solved | 3 | 5 | 8 |
Yes, I’ve reached out for help but it didn’t help me solve the problem | 3 | 4 | 4 |
No, never | 92 | 90 | 87 |
Don’t know | 2 | 1 | 1 |
* Face-to-face household interviews were used (“Express” project); stratified multi-stage sample based on socio-demographic quotas; representative of the Russian population aged 18 and older by type of settlement, gender, age, education and federal district. Sample size: 1,600 respondents.