Construction and Validation of the Positive Mental Health Literacy Assessment Scale in Adults

Cláudia Chaves, João Duarte, Francisco Sampaio, Joana Coelho (), Amadeu Gonçalves, Vanda Santos and Carlos Sequeira
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Cláudia Chaves: Superior School of Health, Polytechnic of Viseu, Rua Dom João Crisóstomo Gomes de Almeida, 102, 3500-843 Viseu, Portugal
João Duarte: Superior School of Health, Polytechnic of Viseu, Rua Dom João Crisóstomo Gomes de Almeida, 102, 3500-843 Viseu, Portugal
Francisco Sampaio: Nursing School of Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 830, 844, 856, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Joana Coelho: CINTESIS@RISE, Nursing School of Porto (ESEP), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
Amadeu Gonçalves: Superior School of Health, Polytechnic of Viseu, Rua Dom João Crisóstomo Gomes de Almeida, 102, 3500-843 Viseu, Portugal
Vanda Santos: Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers (CIDTFF), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Carlos Sequeira: Nursing School of Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 830, 844, 856, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 14, 1-14

Abstract: Low mental health literacy levels have a profound negative effect on healthcare outcomes, usage of healthcare services and healthcare expenditure. To date, there is little research and a lack of instruments available to address and assess positive mental health literacy levels in community-dwelling adults. Thus, this study sought to develop an instrument to assess positive mental health literacy in adults and to evaluate its psychometric properties. A scale developed in European Portuguese and composed of 32 items was designed to assess positive mental health literacy among community-dwelling adults and was validated using exploratory factor analysis. Five latent factors were identified (decision making, prosocial attitudes, perception of resources, community involvement, and problem solving), whose hypothesised structure was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modelling. Evidence showed that the scale’s factor structure is reliable and valid and adequately represents the theorised constructs. Thus, this may be a useful assessment tool for clinical practice since it will allow a more rigorous assessment of positive mental health literacy and better mental health promotion interventions in the population.

Keywords: literacy; positive mental health; adults; community (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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