A Structural Equation Modeling of Mental Health Literacy in Healthcare Students

Abstract

Background: There is a high prevalence of mental illness among healthcare students, and most students with mental health problems are reluctant to seek help from mental health professionals. Help-seeking is a component of mental health literacy (MHL). Although MHL is conceptualized as multi-dimensional, a theory-based multi-construct of MHL is still lacking. We aimed to build a theory-based multi-construct of MHL to explore the pathways of help-seeking. Methods: The data were obtained from a survey on MHL among healthcare students in 2018 (n = 1294). The Mental Health Literacy Scale for Healthcare Students was used to measure the maintenance of positive mental health, recognition of mental illness, mental illness stigma attitudes, help-seeking efficacy, and help-seeking attitudes. Descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted. Results: The findings of the SEM model indicated recognition of mental illness had a positive direct effect on both help-seeking efficacy and maintenance of positive mental health. Additionally, help-seeking efficacy fully mediated the relationship between recognition of mental illness and help-seeking attitudes. Conclusions: Help-seeking efficacy plays a significant role in healthcare students’ willingness to seek professional help when mental health care is needed. Accordingly, improving help-seeking efficacy strategies would increase the use of mental health services and contribute to the prevention of mental health problems.

PhD existence 2022. Změna: Česko-slovenská psychologická konference (nejen) pro doktorandy a o doktorandech. Sborník odborných příspěvků

“…Also recognizing mental disorders is a very important predictor of HSBs by using MHSs. According to Lu et al (2021) recognizing mental illness had a positive direct effect on both help-seeking efficacy and maintenance of positive mental health of university students. Similarly, Pham et al (2020) confirmed the HSBs of university students by using MHSs when they had a mental breakdown, were worried or upset, and resourced to psychotherapy when they had psychological problems.…”

“…These results have also been confirmed by Pham et al (2020) in their research. Recognizing a mental disorder is also a very important predictor of HSBs through using MHSs (Lu et al, 2021). Indeed, recognizing a mental illness has a positive direct effect on both help-seeking efficacy and maintenance of the positive mental health of university students.…”

The power of knowledge: How mental health literacy can overcome barriers to seeking help.

“…In line with this definition, Kutcher et al (2016) added an understanding of how to obtain and maintain good mental health to the conceptualization of MHL (Bjørnsen et al, 2017). Previous studies demonstrated that greater knowledge of maintaining good mental health was associated with increased positive help-seeking attitudes (Allouche et al, 2021; Lu et al, 2021). Educational programs or interventions for mental health promotion showed a positive relationship between the maintenance of positive mental health and help-seeking attitudes (Ashoorian et al, 2019; Hunt et al, 2019; E.…”

“…Numerous empirical studies have examined the relationship between MHL and help-seeking attitudes (e.g., Allouche et al, 2021; H. C. Kim, 2021; Lu et al, 2021; Tomczyk et al, 2020). However, owing to the ongoing debate on what should be included in the construct of MHL (Spiker & Hammer, 2019; Wei et al, 2017), these studies may not fully capture the various components of MHL and have not yet reached reliable conclusions.…”

“…Starting with identifying a problem, the help-seeking process illustrated the relationship between recognition of mental disorders and help-seeking attitudes (Rickwood et al, 2005). Notably, mental illness stigma (Al-Shannaq & Aldalaykeh, 2023; DeBate et al, 2018), maintenance of positive mental health (Allouche et al, 2021; Lu et al, 2021), and help-seeking efficacy (Liddle et al, 2021; Tomczyk et al, 2020) were associated with recognition of mental disorders and help-seeking attitudes. Thus, these components might be potential mediators in their relationship.…”