Mental health literacy in a sample of Canadian adults.

Mental health literacy (MHL) refers to an individual’s understanding of mental health (positive and negative), mental disorders and their treatments, and ability to effectively seek help (i.e., when, where; ability to use information to seek informed treatment; Kutcher, Wei, & Coniglio, 2016). Most studies of MHL are limited to identifying depression, generalised anxiety, and schizophrenia. Typically, Canadians are good at recognising depression relative to anxiety and schizophrenia. The present study examined the MHL of a mixed Canadian sample of introductory psychology students and adults from the general community (N = 337) via online survey using vignettes (i.e., depression, schizophrenia, substance use, generalised anxiety, panic, or obsessive–compulsive). Most participants correctly identified depression, schizophrenia, substance use, and generalised anxiety; most participants advised treatment by mental health specialists for most disorders, except for panic, which seemed to be viewed as a medical condition requiring medical attention. An interesting find was that physical activity emerged as a well endorsed option. Age and sex differences are discussed, as well as implications for individuals and broader society. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Source: Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research