Hoang-Minh Dang1, Ratha Phan2, Bahr Weiss3, Tung Dang4, Amie Pollack3, Nam Tran1, My Loc Nguyen1. 1. College of Education, Vietnam National University, 144 Xuan Thuy, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam. 2. College of Social Sciences, University of Cambodia, Northbridge Road, P.O. Box 917, Sangkat Toek Thla, Khan Sen Sok, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia. 3. Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203. 4. Vinmec International Hospital, 458 Minh Khai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Abstract
Background: Parents' perceptions of their children's mental health - including recognition of specific mental health problems as such, and their beliefs about the causes and treatments for the problems - have an important impact on child mental health. Aims: This study investigated child mental health literacy among Cambodian and Vietnamese mothers. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 357 mothers in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Pnom Penh and Kampong Speu, Cambodia. The Child Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire was used to assess mothers' mental health literacy, in particular their ability to correctly identify different mental health disorders, and their understanding of causes of the mental health problems, and about the utility of different treatments. Results: The overall level of mental health literacy among mothers in these two countries was low, with the proportions of mothers able to correctly identify different mental health problems ranging from 0.17 (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) to 0.35 (Trauma-related). Biological causes and adverse experiences were the most frequently selected causes of generic mental health problems. Medication, parent training and family counseling were the three most positively rated forms of treatment for mental health problems in general. Conclusion: Although Vietnam and Cambodia are geographic neighbors, varying results across these countries appear to reflect their different historical backgrounds. For instance, the largest difference between the two countries was for trauma-related problems, which may be related to the Cambodian history of genocide. Findings such as this demonstrate the need for contextually developed and focused public health intervention for mothers of children to improve their mental health literacy.
Background: Parents' perceptions of their children's mental health - including recognition of specific mental health problems as such, and their beliefs about the causes and treatments for the problems - have an important impact on child mental health. Aims: This study investigated child mental health literacy among Cambodian and Vietnamese mothers. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 357 mothers in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Pnom Penh and Kampong Speu, Cambodia. The Child Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire was used to assess mothers' mental health literacy, in particular their ability to correctly identify different mental health disorders, and their understanding of causes of the mental health problems, and about the utility of different treatments. Results: The overall level of mental health literacy among mothers in these two countries was low, with the proportions of mothers able to correctly identify different mental health problems ranging from 0.17 (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) to 0.35 (Trauma-related). Biological causes and adverse experiences were the most frequently selected causes of generic mental health problems. Medication, parent training and family counseling were the three most positively rated forms of treatment for mental health problems in general. Conclusion: Although Vietnam and Cambodia are geographic neighbors, varying results across these countries appear to reflect their different historical backgrounds. For instance, the largest difference between the two countries was for trauma-related problems, which may be related to the Cambodian history of genocide. Findings such as this demonstrate the need for contextually developed and focused public health intervention for mothers of children to improve their mental health literacy.
Entities:
Keywords:
Cambodia; Children; Mental health Literacy; Mothers; Vietnam
Authors: Mari Umpierre; Laura V Meyers; Aida Ortiz; Angela Paulino; Anita Rivera Rodriguez; Ana Miranda; Raquel Rodriguez; Stephanie Kranes; Mary M McKay Journal: Res Soc Work Pract Date: 2015-09