THE DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AMONG YOUNG ADOLESCENTS IN SOUTH OF JORDAN

Abstract

This study aims to verify the adolescents ability to correctly identify mental health disorders such as depression and the intention to seek help, which refers to the determinants of Mental Health Literacy (MHL). As well as understanding the relationship between MHL and the psychological state associated with depression among adolescents in schools. This study was conducted using a cross sectional descriptive design and included 450 adolescent students (215 males and 235 females) from public intermediate and secondary schools in southern Jordan, and they were between 13 and 16 years old from ten randomly selected schools. Data on sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, smoking, exposure to bullying, loneliness, parental marital status, and financial status represented by parental income) of participating adolescents were collected through student data from school principals and then assessed by the Global Student Health Survey (GSHS). MHL among adolescents was assessed and measured using the depression vignette and questionnaire of the mental health literacy and stigma. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) and multivariate binary logistic regression to examine and study the determinants of MHL. The results were obtained, the most important of which was that the adequate levels of MHL among adolescents were clearly and directly related to several factors. This was demonstrated by the use of multivariate analysis. The study concluded that the factors that significantly affected adequate levels of MHL were gender (females), age (older adolescents), non-smoking, and lack of loneliness. Where the values related to these factors obtained from multivariate analysis were (AOR=1.72; 95% CI 1.15, 2.57), (AOR=1.52; 95% CI 1.04, 2.22), (AOR=1.60; 95% CI 1.09, 3.54), (AOR=1.20; 95% CI 1.12, 1.76), respectively. One of the most important recommendations focused in this research is to pay attention to addressing the determinants and levels of MHL adequate to develop a generation of young adolescents who are more aware and free of mental disorders and have high levels of MHL adequate. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 24 (1) January, 2023; 1-15.