KMAN Publication Inc. (KMANPUB) Journal of Adolescent and Youth Psychological Studies (JAYPS) 2981-2526 6 Serial Number 33 2025 05 10 Social Desirability and Its Effect on Help-Seeking: Mediated by Shame Social Desirability and Its Effect on Help-Seeking: Mediated by Shame 1 10 10.61838/kman.jayps.6.5.11 EN Journal Article 2024 01 03 <table> <tbody> <tr> <td> <p><strong>Objective:</strong> The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between social desirability and help-seeking behavior, with shame as a mediating variable, among a sample of Malaysian participants.</p> <p><strong>Methods and Materials: </strong>This research employed a descriptive correlational design and was conducted on a sample of 391 participants from Malaysia, selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie sample size table. Standardized instruments were used to assess help-seeking (General Help-Seeking Questionnaire), social desirability (Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale), and shame (Experience of Shame Scale). Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 for descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis, and AMOS-21 was employed to conduct Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesized mediation model and assess the model fit using key indices such as CFI, RMSEA, and TLI.</p> <p><strong>Findings: </strong>Descriptive analysis revealed moderate levels of help-seeking (M = 4.62, SD = 1.13), high social desirability (M = 21.87, SD = 4.76), and elevated shame (M = 68.34, SD = 9.51). Pearson correlation analysis showed that social desirability was negatively correlated with help-seeking (r = −.41, p &lt; .001) and positively with shame (r = .46, p &lt; .001), while shame was negatively correlated with help-seeking (r = −.52, p &lt; .001). SEM results indicated that the structural model had good fit (CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.048, TLI = 0.96), with shame significantly mediating the relationship between social desirability and help-seeking. Both direct and indirect effects of social desirability on help-seeking were statistically significant.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings highlight that shame plays a critical mediating role in the negative relationship between social desirability and help-seeking behavior. Interventions aimed at reducing internalized shame and addressing socially desirable responding may be essential for improving help-seeking behaviors, especially in cultural contexts where stigma and social expectations are prominent.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> https://journals.kmanpub.com/index.php/jayps/article/download/3872/6602