The predictors of mental health literacy among adolescents students.

AIM: This study aimed to examine levels of mental health literacy (MHL) and associated factors among adolescents. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted with a total of 650 students aged 11-18 years in three middle and three high schools. Data were collected using the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Literacy Scale and evaluated using descriptive statistics and regression analysis to determine whether age, gender, and grade are predictive factors of MHL. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants in the study was 16.8 ± 1.35 years, 55 % of the students were girls, and the mean MHL score was 3.96 ± 1.2, indicating moderate MHL. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the variables of age, gender, and grade explained 5.5 % of the variance in MHL score. When these variables were examined individually, gender and grade had no significant effect (p > 0.05), while older age was associated with higher MHL score (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that MHL improved with age. MHL promotion is important in mental health resilience. Collaboration between school nurses, school counselors, and psychiatric nurses to provide mental health educational interventions may help reduce stigma and increase help-seeking behaviors.

Investigation in to psychometric properties of self stigma scale by seeking psychological help in adolescent students.

BACKGROUND: Stigmatization and help seeking are the one of the most important concepts of preventive interventions and mental health promotion in adolescent. METHODS: This study is in descriptive, correlational and methodological design. The sample of the study consisted of 250 volunteer students studying in a total of six schools. The Self Stigma Scale in Seeking Psychological Help was used as a data collection tool. Data were evaluated with content validity index based on expert opinion, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. FINDINGS: Factor loadings explained 52% of the total variance in the two sub-dimensions. The KMO value was determined as 0.76 and the sample was found to be sufficient. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the entire scale was determined as.74. The alpha values of the sub-dimensions were determined as 0.76 and 0.74, respectively. In both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, all factor loads are >0.30. In confirmatory factor analysis, all fit indices were found to be >0.80 and the RMSEA value was determined as 0.067. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study revealed that it is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to evaluate the level of self-stigma in seeking psychological help in adolescents. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: It is recommended that scale will be a guide in protective and preventive studies for researchers and school nurses working with students.