Open AccessAn exploration of mental health literacy in relation to depression in secondary school pupils
Author(s) -
Ericka Doyle,
Shaunagh O’Sullivan,
Finiki Nearchou,
Eilis Hennessy
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of education and training
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2330-9709
DOI - 10.5296/jet.v4i2.10287
Subject(s) - mental health literacy , mental health , depression (economics) , help seeking , psychological intervention , psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , health literacy , medicine , mental illness , health care , economics , macroeconomics , economic growth
Mental Health Literacy (MHL) refers to knowledge and beliefs about mental health problems. Although mostly studied in adult samples, it has been associated with help-seeking intentions and health service use in adolescents. The aim of the present study was to explore depression MHL and its association with help seeking intentions in a sample of adolescent participants (n = 235, 135 males) from the final three years of secondary school (mean = 16.6 years, SD = .65) in Ireland. Knowledge of depression and help-seeking intentions were measured using vignettes and self-report instruments. Findings show that the majority of adolescents recognised that a combination of depression symptoms constituted a serious mental health problem. However, they demonstrated very low MHL levels on specific symptoms such as somatic pains.The finding of restricted knowledge of depression symptoms, indicates a need for targeted interventions to improve MHL, and specifically of symptoms of depression.