Academic Help-Seeking Scale

The Academic Help-Seeking Scale measures students' inclination to seek academic help, their preferred sources of assistance (instructors, peers, tutors), and barriers that inhibit help-seeking (fear of judgment, embarrassment, preference for independence). Developed by Karabenick and colleagues in the 1990s, the AHSS recognizes that seeking help when confused or struggling is not a sign of weakness but a critical academic skill that separates successful from struggling students. By identifying whether students avoid help due to shame, lack of awareness, or other barriers, this scale enables targeted interventions promoting adaptive help-seeking.