Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing

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mental health, young adults, mental health literacy, help-seeking attitudes, help-seeking behavior


Affiliations
1 Department of Psychology, University of Delhi New Delhi, India
2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology Gargi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
     

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Mental Health Literacy (MHL) constitutes the understanding of mental disorders which can aid in their recognition,mitigation, or prevention. The aim of this research was to understand the effect of a mental health initiative on theMHL of the participants and to examine the correlation between MHL and help-seeking attitudes. A cross-sectionalcorrelational research design was employed on a sample of 80 female undergraduate students from New Delhi whowere a part of the mental health initiative. They completed a survey that included the demographic profile, theMental Health Literacy Questionnaire (MLHq), and the Mental Help Seeking Attitude Scale (MHSAS). Ourresearch findings suggested that the MHL of the sample was satisfactory (M=117.81; SD=8.31) and they had highhelp-seeking attitudes (M=55.42; SD=7.66). The correlational analysis of the variables indicates that there is asignificant and moderately strong positive association between MLHq and MHSAS (r=0.52, p<.001). MentalHealth Literacy, thus, is an important predictor of help-seeking attitudes, which foster positive consequences foroverall mental health. Thus, interventions aimed at improving Mental Health Literacy should be developed andimplemented, especially in educational settings.


Keywords

mental health, young adults, mental health literacy, help-seeking attitudes, help-seeking behavior
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  • mental health, young adults, mental health literacy, help-seeking attitudes, help-seeking behavior

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Authors

Afreen Zehra
Department of Psychology, University of Delhi New Delhi, India
Shubhda Sharma
Department of Psychology, University of Delhi New Delhi, India
Dr. Neera Pant
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology Gargi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
Smita Chatterjee
Department of Psychology, University of Delhi New Delhi, India

Abstract


Mental Health Literacy (MHL) constitutes the understanding of mental disorders which can aid in their recognition,mitigation, or prevention. The aim of this research was to understand the effect of a mental health initiative on theMHL of the participants and to examine the correlation between MHL and help-seeking attitudes. A cross-sectionalcorrelational research design was employed on a sample of 80 female undergraduate students from New Delhi whowere a part of the mental health initiative. They completed a survey that included the demographic profile, theMental Health Literacy Questionnaire (MLHq), and the Mental Help Seeking Attitude Scale (MHSAS). Ourresearch findings suggested that the MHL of the sample was satisfactory (M=117.81; SD=8.31) and they had highhelp-seeking attitudes (M=55.42; SD=7.66). The correlational analysis of the variables indicates that there is asignificant and moderately strong positive association between MLHq and MHSAS (r=0.52, p<.001). MentalHealth Literacy, thus, is an important predictor of help-seeking attitudes, which foster positive consequences foroverall mental health. Thus, interventions aimed at improving Mental Health Literacy should be developed andimplemented, especially in educational settings.


Keywords


mental health, young adults, mental health literacy, help-seeking attitudes, help-seeking behavior

References