AIM: Mental health literacy may be a factor in early detection and prompt treatment for mental, emotional and behavioural disorders among young people. Building on previous research in Australia, this study assessed aspects of mental health literacy among adolescents in classrooms in a small town in the eastern USA. METHODS: The students were provided brief, hypothetical, gender-matched scenarios about adolescents experiencing negative emotions and exhibiting related behaviours; some scenarios depicted diagnosable disorders. The respondents were asked to characterize each scenario as describing a mental health problem or other teen problem and indicate how they would respond to a peer who had such a problem. RESULTS: Overall levels of recognition of mental disorders were low (27.5% identified anxiety and 42.4% identified depression as 'a mental health problem or illness'). However, the respondents who recognized a disorder were three to four times more likely than those who did not to say they would take some helping action, such as telling an adult about the problem (depression: odds ratio 3.27; CI 1.43-7.46, anxiety: OR 4.43; CI 2.23-8.79). Few students (27.7%) remembered in-class discussions of mental health, a mandated health topic for schools in their area. CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be substantial room for improvement in mental health literacy among young people, and the development of interventions to enhance mental health literacy among students may be justified.
AIM: Mental health literacy may be a factor in early detection and prompt treatment for mental, emotional and behavioural disorders among young people. Building on previous research in Australia, this study assessed aspects of mental health literacy among adolescents in classrooms in a small town in the eastern USA. METHODS: The students were provided brief, hypothetical, gender-matched scenarios about adolescents experiencing negative emotions and exhibiting related behaviours; some scenarios depicted diagnosable disorders. The respondents were asked to characterize each scenario as describing a mental health problem or other teen problem and indicate how they would respond to a peer who had such a problem. RESULTS: Overall levels of recognition of mental disorders were low (27.5% identified anxiety and 42.4% identified depression as 'a mental health problem or illness'). However, the respondents who recognized a disorder were three to four times more likely than those who did not to say they would take some helping action, such as telling an adult about the problem (depression: odds ratio 3.27; CI 1.43-7.46, anxiety: OR 4.43; CI 2.23-8.79). Few students (27.7%) remembered in-class discussions of mental health, a mandated health topic for schools in their area. CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be substantial room for improvement in mental health literacy among young people, and the development of interventions to enhance mental health literacy among students may be justified.
Authors: Shelley R Hart; Elizabeth A Kastelic; Holly C Wilcox; Mary Beth Beaudry; Rashelle J Musci; Kathryn M Heley; Anne E Ruble; Karen L Swartz Journal: School Ment Health Date: 2014-02-23
Authors: Leslie Miller; Rashelle Musci; Douglas D'Agati; Clarissa Alfes; Mary Beth Beaudry; Karen Swartz; Holly Wilcox Journal: School Ment Health Date: 2018-06-25
Authors: Luís M Loureiro; Anthony F Jorm; Aida C Mendes; José C Santos; Ricardo O Ferreira; Ana T Pedreiro Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2013-05-07 Impact factor: 3.630
Authors: Ingunn Skre; Oddgeir Friborg; Camilla Breivik; Lars Inge Johnsen; Yngvild Arnesen; Catharina Elisabeth Arfwedson Wang Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2013-09-23 Impact factor: 3.295