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Doctoral Dissertation Defense
of
Mohammed A. Alsulami

For the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy
Health Education and Promotion

Behavioral Intentions Among Saudi Red Crescent Authority’s (SRCA) Active-Duty Paramedics Toward Seeking Psychological Help from Mental Health Professionals

October 28, 2025
9:00 a.m.
Nixson Hall

Meeting ID: 263 096 198 650
Passcode: vE2Bj9bg

Behavioral Intentions Among Saudi Red Crescent Authority’s (SRCA) Active-Duty Paramedics Toward Seeking Psychological Help from Mental Health Professionals

The nature of the profession places paramedics in repeated exposure to unpredictable work-related stressors. Such repeated exposures predispose paramedics to chronic stress and potentially to mental health disorders. The fear of being stigmatized by others, perceived as weak, or suffering career consequences are among the most common barriers that hinder their ability to consider help. 

The study adapted and further extended the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to investigate the levels of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, cultural and self-stigma, and intentions toward seeking help from mental health professionals among a sample of 184 paramedics in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the study compared those levels between paramedics with past help-seeking experiences and those without. Moreover, the study determined the most significant predictors of professional help-seeking intentions among active-duty paramedics. 

Self-stigma has emerged as the strongest predictor of professional help-seeking intentions among SRCA paramedics. This significant finding highlighted the urgent need to proactively counter self-stigma within active-duty and future paramedics in Saudi Arabia. The findings provide a foundation for developing culturally sensitive interventions across individual, interpersonal, organizational, and policy levels to promote a supportive mental health culture within the EMS profession.