Previous research findings suggest an increasing prevalence of psychological disorders among university students in terms of rate, severity, and chronicity. Despite this trend, this population is less likely to seek psychological help (Holm-Hadullaa & Koutsoukou-Argyrakia in Mental Health & Prevention, 3(1–2), 1-4, 2015; Oswalt in Journal of American College Health, 68(1), 41-51, 2020). The present study aimed to examine the predictive ability of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211, 1991) in determining intentions to seek psychological counseling (ISPC) for psychological/interpersonal concerns (PIC) and drug use concerns among undergraduate university students of Lahore, Pakistan. Using a correlational research design, a convenience sampling strategy was used to select 450 participants (212 male; 238 female) from four universities in Lahore, Pakistan (Mage = 20.80; SD = 1.69). The findings from multiple hierarchical regression analyses revealed that TPB constructs — attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and self-stigma — significantly explained a 7% variance in ISPC for both PIC and drug use concerns after controlling for the effects of demographic and psychological covariates. While perceived behavioral control emerged as a significant unique predictor of ISPC for PIC, subjective norms were identified as a significant predictor of ISPC for drug use concerns. Gender differences in study variables were also significant with male undergraduate university students showing lower levels of perceived behavioral control and subjective norms and higher levels of self-stigma related to seeking psychological help compared to their female counterparts. The key findings and their practical implications for research and TPB-based psychoeducational interventions are discussed.
