Depression and Depression Literacy among Adolescent School Students

Abstract

Background: Adolescent mental health is a major public health issue. It is important to educate adolescents and their families about mental illnesses. However, very little attention has been paid to mental health literacy among individuals, particularly among adolescents. Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess depression and depression literacy levels, as well as their correlations among a sample of school students. Methods: Anonymous self-report questionnaires were used to conduct a cross-sectional study. This was to gather data from three public schools in the northern region of Jordan. Results: The study sample included a total of 225 participants, with 55.6% being female and the mean age being 15.09 (SD = 1.89). About 45% of these students were found to have depression symptoms and 27.6% of them had moderate and severe levels of depression. The participants were also found to have very low levels of depression literacy. A significant positive correlation was found between depression symptoms and depression literacy. The predictors of depression symptoms were gender, grade point average and monthly family income. The predictors of depression literacy were fathers’ educational level, physical exercise and family history of mental health problems. Conclusion: The findings highlight the urgent need for improving knowledge about mental illness among adolescents. Further research and strong support are highly recommended, specifically regarding issues that affect adolescents’ mental health. Implications for Nursing: The discussion covers several intervention implications and suggestions aiming to maintain adolescents’ psychological well-being. For example, nursing leaders should develop and implement programs for assessing depression, providing counselling and enhancing mental health literacy among adolescent school students. Keywords: Depression, Depression literacy, Mental health, Adolescents, School students.