Predictors of Mental Health Literacy among Parents, Guardians, and Teachers of Adolescents in West Malaysia

Picholas Kian Ann Phoa, Asrenee Ab Razak (), Hue San Kuay, Anis Kausar Ghazali, Azriani Ab Rahman, Maruzairi Husain, Raishan Shafini Bakar and Firdaus Abdul Gani
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Picholas Kian Ann Phoa: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Asrenee Ab Razak: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Hue San Kuay: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Anis Kausar Ghazali: Biostatistics and Research Methodology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Azriani Ab Rahman: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Maruzairi Husain: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Raishan Shafini Bakar: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia
Firdaus Abdul Gani: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital, Temerloh 28000, Pahang, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Parents, guardians, and teachers are the informal sources of mental health support that adolescents rely on. Nevertheless, limited mental health knowledge limits their ability and confidence in providing appropriate assistance. This study aims to (1) evaluate the relationship between the roles of parents/guardians and teachers and their responses to discover the common misconceptions on mental health among those providing informal support to adolescents and (2) determine which demographic factors would act as the strongest predictor influencing their mental health literacy (MHL) status. The cross-sectional study recruited 867 parents, guardians, and teachers of adolescents from 24 government secondary schools’ parent–teacher associations via multistage stratified random sampling. Parents, guardians, and teachers’ MHL were evaluated using the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule—Malay Version (MAKS-M). The collected data were analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-squared test to investigate the association between the respondents’ roles and responses. Multiple Regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of MHL. The score of MAKS-M for the current study sample is 73.03% (M = 43.82, SD = 4.07). Most respondents responded incorrectly on Items 1 (employment), 6 (help-seeking), 8 (stress), and 12 (grief). Teachers provided more favorable responses on several items than parents and guardians. Finally, younger age, higher income, knowing someone with mental disorders, and having experience of attending formal training on mental health first aid were the significant predictors of MHL. MHL interventions in Malaysia should cater to older adults of lower socioeconomic status and lesser experience in mental health, specifically highlighting the stigmas on mental health help-seeking behaviors, treatment, and employment concerns, plus the recognition of various mental health diagnoses.

Keywords: mental health literacy; social stigma; adolescent mental health; mental disorders; Malaysia (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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