October 7, 2014

Study reveals hairdressers are the informal counsellors of our community

Hairdressers are the informal counsellors of our community, a study by UOW psychologists has found.

The study, which surveyed more than 130 hairdressers from the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions, found hairdressers spent 43 per cent of their time discussing problems of moderate to serious severity with their customers. These included physical health issues, job/workplace problems, children, intimate relationships, anxiety and depression.

As part of her masters in clinical psychology, UOW student Krystal Sattler assessed the types of problems raised by clients, hairdresser responses, ability to select appropriate responses to client disclosures, level of interest in training, and preparedness to help.

She found that the majority (68 per cent) of clients seen were ‘regular’ repeat customers, who on average spent 76 minutes in the salon. Hairdressers reported spending 74 per cent of this time in conversation with these clients, which represented an average of 55 minutes discussion time during their appointment.

Director of the Illawarra Institute for Mental Health at UOW Professor Frank Deane, who supervised the study, said: “Overall the hairdressers felt moderately prepared to provide support and help but most expressed an interest in some training to be better prepared to help and to develop skills to appropriately refer to more formal mental health services”.

Professor Deane, who is also heavily involved in the Illawarra Light and Hope Mental Health Clubhouse, which operates under the auspice of the Schizophrenia Fellowship NSW. The Clubhouse is working with local hairdressers to support their role as informal counsellors in our community and will hold a Hairdressers’ Ball on Saturday 11 October at the Novotel in Wollongong. Tickets are still available for those who wish to attend the ball.

Media contact: Elise Pitt, Media & PR Officer, UOW, +61 2 4221 3079, +61 422 959 953, epitt@uow.edu.au.