Mental Health Literacy, Help-Seeking Behaviour and Wellbeing in Young People: Implications for Practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (01) ◽  
pp. 16-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prishini Ratnayake ◽  
Chelsea Hyde
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Young People ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour

AbstractResearch indicates that individuals who have high levels of mental health literacy engage in help-seeking for mental health issues more in comparison to those with low mental health literacy. It is therefore important to ensure that young people are able to identify signs of psychological distress and identify appropriate supports and resources when necessary. Preliminary research has identified gender differences in help-seeking and identification of mental health problems. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health literacy, help-seeking intentions and wellbeing in senior high school students. The sample consisted of 22 females and 10 male students, ranging from 16–18 years. Findings indicated a positive correlation between wellbeing and general help-seeking, as well as wellbeing and help-seeking for suicidal ideation. Gender differences were identified for aspects of mental health literacy and help-seeking intentions. Results of this research have implications for practitioners in fostering positive outcomes and developing targeted interventions towards improving mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour in the future.

Influence of Gender on Mental Health Literacy in Young Australians

2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 790-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue M. Cotton ◽  
Annemarie Wright ◽  
Meredith G. Harris ◽  
Anthony F. Jorm ◽  
Patrick D. Mcgorry
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Young People ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Service Delivery ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Computer Assisted

Objectives: To determine the effects of gender on mental health literacy in young people between 12 and 25 years of age. Design: Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing was employed to conduct a crosssectional structured interview focusing on young people's awareness of depression and psychosis. Participants: The sample comprised 1207 young Australians (539 males and 668 females) between the ages of 12-25 recruited from two metropolitan and two regional areas within Victoria. Six hundred and six respondents were presented a depression vignette and 601 were presented a psychosis vignette. Results: Female respondents (60.7%) were significantly more likely to correctly identify depression in the vignette as compared to male respondents (34.5%). No significant gender differences were noted for the psychosis vignette. Males were less significantly likely to endorse seeing a doctor or psychologist/counsellor for the treatment of psychosis. Males were also significantly more likely than females to endorse alcohol as a way of dealing with depression and antibiotics as useful for dealing with psychosis. Conclusion: Gender differences in mental health literacy are striking. Males showed significantly lower recognition of symptoms associated with mental illness and were more likely endorse the use alcohol to deal with mental health problems. Such factors may contribute to the delays in help seeking seen in young males. Further research is needed to delineate how these gender differences in young people may obstruct help seeking, early intervention and other aspects of mental health service delivery.

scholarly journals Examining mental health literacy, help seeking behaviours, and mental health outcomes in UK university students

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Gorczynski ◽  
Wendy Sims-schouten ◽  
Denise Hill ◽  
Janet Clare Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
University Students ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour

Purpose Many university students in the UK experience mental health problems and little is known about their overall mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviours. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain levels of mental health literacy in UK university students and to examine whether mental health literacy is associated with better mental health outcomes and intentions to seek professional care. Design/methodology/approach A total of 380 university students at a university in the south of England completed online surveys measuring multiple dimensions of mental health literacy, help-seeking behaviour, distress, and well-being. Findings Mental health literacy in the students sampled was lower than seen in previous research. Women exhibited higher levels of mental health literacy than men and postgraduate students scored higher than undergraduate students. Participants with previous mental health problems had higher levels of mental health literacy than those with no history of mental health problems. Individuals were most likely to want to seek support from a partner or family member and most participants indicated they would be able to access mental health information online. Mental health literacy was significantly positively correlated with help-seeking behaviour, but not significantly correlated with distress or well-being. Practical implications Strategies, such as anonymous online resources, should be designed to help UK university students become more knowledgeable about mental health and comfortable with seeking appropriate support. Originality/value This study is the first to examine multiple dimensions of mental health literacy in UK university students and compare it to help-seeking behaviour, distress, and well-being.

Mental health literacy among Arab university students in Israel: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110361
Author(s):  
Anwar Khatib ◽  
Fareeda Abo-Rass
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Low Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Arab Population ◽  
Professional Help ◽  
Arab Students

Background: There has been a noticeable increase in the number of studies concerned with mental health literacy (MHL), specifically among students. Still, very few studies have examined MHL among students of non-Western minority groups. Aims: This study examined MHL among Arab students in Israel based on Jorm’s conceptual framework. Methods: Twenty-eight Arab students in Israel took part in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Most were single and Muslim, in their second year of studies, and most reported low socioeconomic status. The data were analyzed thematically, guided by the Jorm’s six MHL dimensions. Results: Different levels of literacy were found in the various MHL dimensions. The participants identified severe mental disorders more easily than mood disorders; reported a variety of possible causes of mental disorders; were well aware of available professional help (apart for rehabilitative services); identified significant barriers to mental health help seeking, as Arabs; and reported the internet as a major source of information about mental health problems and their treatment Conclusions: The participants’ MHL appeared to be associated with their unique sociocultural characteristics. This study stresses the need to raise MHL among Arab students in Israel, and in particular to promote positive attitudes to seeking professional help. It also highlights the need to develop culturally adapted mental health interventions for the Arab population in Israel.

scholarly journals Examining mental health literacy, help-seeking behaviours, distress, and wellbeing in UK coaches

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 713-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Gorczynski ◽  
Kass Gibson ◽  
Nathan Clarke ◽  
Tyrone Mensah ◽  
Rory Summers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Previous Diagnosis ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour

Although research has explored stress in coaches, little is known about their mental health literacy and how this is associated with their mental health. Their mental health literacy may have an impact on the wellbeing of their young players. This study examined levels of mental health literacy, help-seeking behaviours, distress, and wellbeing, as well as relationships amongst these variables, in coaches in the United Kingdom. Coaches were recruited through social media and asked to fill out questionnaires. A total of 103 coaches ( n = 65 men, n = 37 women, n = 1 other gender) participated in the study. Coaches had an average age of 27.9 (SD = 10.6) years. Most self-identified as heterosexual ( n = 85, 82.5%), had four or more years of experience ( n = 46, 44.7%), coached children ( n = 77, 74.8%), and coached at either the beginner ( n = 30, 29.1%) or amateur levels ( n = 66, 64.1%). In total, 20 (19.4%) coaches indicated a previous diagnosis of a mental disorder. A total of 51 (49.5%) coaches indicated that, at the time of the completion of the survey, they exhibited symptoms of a mental disorder. Overall, the average mental health literacy score was 123.10 and lower than in previous studies. Mental health literacy was not significantly associated with help-seeking behaviour, distress, or wellbeing. General help-seeking behaviour was positively correlated with wellbeing. The results suggest that coach certification programmes could adopt strategies to help coaches improve their knowledge of mental health services and how such services may be accessed. These changes may improve the wellbeing of coaches and may benefit their athletes.

Mental health literacy and help-seeking among unemployed people with mental health problems

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Waldmann ◽  
Tobias Staiger ◽  
Nathalie Oexle ◽  
Nicolas Rüsch
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Unemployed People

Gender differences in the mental health literacy of young people

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Furnham ◽  
Jennifer Annis ◽  
Kalia Cleridou
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Young People ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
The Other ◽  
Female Character ◽  
Health Disorders

Abstract Aim: This study explored the influence of gender on the mental health literacy (MHL) of young people. Method: In all, 370 young people (aged 17–22 years) completed one of two questionnaires, in which they had to label/provide a diagnosis for nine vignettes of people with different mental health disorders. Half the vignettes had a male and the other half had a female character. They also rated the vignette person on nine scales. Results: There was much variance in recognition for the different disorders, with a range of 77.0%–27.3% of participants “correctly” labeling the vignettes. Very few gender differences were found, but age and experience of/education in mental health were found to be positively correlated with MHL. Conclusion: Gender differences in MHL may not be as great as previously thought. Although some disorders were recognized by the majority of participants, there are still common disorders that were not.

scholarly journals Rethinking Mental Health Literacy Programmes For Enhanced Help-Seeking Behaviour In Young Male Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-51
Author(s):  
Damilola Ruth Seyi-Oderinde
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Critical Pedagogy ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Young Male ◽  
Transformational Change ◽  
Meaningful Improvement ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour

Educating and sensitization through mental health literacy (MHL) programmes is germane to raising awareness, reducing stigma towards help-seeking, and ultimately improving help-seeking behaviours in young male adults. This theoretical paper problematises various trajectories and approaches that are engaged with; in providing mental health literacy to enhance young male adults’ help-seeking behaviour. It further advances the critical pedagogical (CP) approach as an alternative trajectory for this task. This was achieved by positioning mental health literacy as critical engagement that relies on transformative education in order to enhance help-seeking behvaiour. This article discusses the relevance of some prominent themes in critical pedagogy to the design of mental health literacy programmes for enhanced help-seeking. It, therefore, submits that for any meaningful improvement and change to take place in the ideologies, beliefs, and attitudes of young male adults towards help-seeking, a critical pedagogical approach should be engaged, with believed that this approach will facilitate critical dialogues, reflexive thinking, and participatory learning processes. It is anticipated that embedding the CP principles into the design of MHL programmes would assist practitioners and health educators to produce transformational change in behaviour of  young male adults towards help-seeking.

scholarly journals Associations between dimensions of Mental Health Literacy and adolescent help-seeking intentions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Goodfellow ◽  
Anna Macintyre ◽  
Lee Knifton ◽  
Edward Sosu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problem ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Treatment Efficacy ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Informal Help

Background: Adolescence is a critical period for the development of mental health problems. However low mental health literacy (MHL) may impede help-seeking for these problems. Although MHL is a multidimensional construct and adolescent help-seeking can be through formal and informal means, little is known about how dimensions of MHL influence these help-seeking intentions. This study examines associations between dimensions of MHL and formal and informal help-seeking intentions among adolescents. It also investigates whether informal help-seeking mediates the association between dimensions of MHL and formal help-seeking, and whether these associations are moderated by gender. Methods: A cross-sectional survey including measures of MHL, and help-seeking intentions was distributed to participants in ten schools (12-18 years) across Scotland (n = 734). Data were analysed using Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results: CFA identified two distinct dimensions of MHL: ability to identify a mental health problem, and knowledge of treatment efficacy. Only knowledge of treatment efficacy was associated with increased intention to seek formal and informal help. Ability to identify a mental health problem was negatively associated with both forms of help-seeking intention. Informal help-seeking mediated the association between both forms of MHL and formal help-seeking. Gender did not moderate associations between MHL and help-seeking. Conclusions: Distinct dimensions of MHL have disparate associations with adolescent help-seeking intention. Care should be taken when providing MHL interventions to ensure that adaptive forms of MHL are equally promoted. Future research should investigate possible mechanisms by which discrete forms of MHL influence adolescent help-seeking.

scholarly journals Stigmatising Attitudes Towards Depression and Alcohol Misuse in Young People: Relationships with Help-Seeking Intentions and Behavior

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Cheetham ◽  
Anthony F. Jorm ◽  
Coralie Wilson ◽  
Bonita J. Berridge ◽  
Fiona Blee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Young People ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Helping Behavior ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
School Students ◽  
And Behavior

Background and Objective: Adolescents experiencing mental health problems often approach their peers rather than seeking professional help. A better understanding of adolescents’ stigmatising attitudes towards mental illness will help inform interventions that aim to improve the quality of advice that young people provide to their peers. In particular, there is a need for research examining adolescents’ attitudes towards alcohol misuse, given it’s increase in prevalence during this period as well as the adverse outcomes that are associated with untreated early drinking problems. Methods: High-school students (n=2447) were recruited as part of an intervention focussed on overcoming barriers to accessing help for mental health and substance use problems. Participants were presented with two vignettes that described a peer experiencing depression and alcohol misuse, respectively, and completed the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire as well as a 10-item scale measuring stigmatising attitudes. Past helping behavior was also assessed. Results: Compared to depression, a peer experiencing alcohol misuse was more likely to be considered “weak” rather than sick, and was perceived as more dangerous and unpredictable. The “weak-not-sick” and “dangerousness” dimensions of stigma predicted weaker intentions to encourage help-seeking from informal sources, while ‘dangerousness’ predicted stronger intentions to encourage formal help-seeking. Both dimensions were associated with fewer instances of past helping behavior. Conclusion: Young people stigmatise alcohol misuse more severely than depression. Overall, stigma was associated with weaker intentions to encourage peers to seek help. While perceptions of ‘dangerousness’ were associated with stronger intentions to seek help from formal sources, this association may not translate into actual helping behavior.

Promoting mental health literacy in schools

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Fretian ◽  
S Kirchhoff ◽  
P Graf ◽  
U Bauer
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Young People ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Good Mental Health

Abstract Background Adolescence is the most suitable time for health promotion and prevention programs regarding mental illness to start. Given that, about half of the mental illnesses will develop by the age of 14, addressing this issue early in the life course is a particular public health goal in Europe. Mental health literacy is considered a key determinant of good mental health, as it comprises adequate knowledge positive attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behavior. School-based interventions aimed at increasing mental health literacy are a promising method to reach most young people, at least in countries were school attendance is mandatory. The goal of our project is to evaluate a mental health school program, adapted from a Curriculum originating in Canada, in regard to its ability to increase the mental health literacy of adolescents and young adults within the German school setting. Methods Data is currently being collected within the school setting from adolescents and young adults attending regular secondary schools and vocational schools in Germany at three different time points: (T0) before the intervention, (T1) afterwards and (T2) 2-3 months later. A control group will be questioned as well. Data collection takes place between February and December 2020. Results Till October 2020 a sample size of about 200 to 400 participants will be reached. It is expected that the intervention group will have a significantly higher increase in mental health literacy, more positive attitudes towards help-seeking and a decrease in stigmatizing attitudes towards mental illness compared to the control group. Conclusions It is expected that, the mental health Curriculum will show to be an effective way of promoting the mental health literacy of young people attending different school forms in Germany. A national wide implementation might be a promising public health measure for fostering good mental health and mental health literacy in adolescents and young people.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document