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Cited by 137Mental Health Treatment and AccessHealth Education and ValidationHealth Literacy and Information Accessibility

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Mental Health Literacy in Young Adults: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire

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Dias, Pedro, Campos, Luísa, Almeida, Helena, Palha, Filipa·2018·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
DOI 10.3390/ijerph15071318PMC PMC6068770
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Abstract

Mental health literacy (MHL) is considered a prerequisite for early recognition and intervention in mental disorders, and for this reason, it has become a focus of research over the past few decades. Assessing this construct is relevant for identifying knowledge gaps and erroneous beliefs concerning mental health issues, to inform the development of interventions aimed at promoting mental health literacy as well as the evaluation of these interventions. Recently, we developed a new self-reporting measure (MHLq) for assessing mental health literacy in young people (12–14 years-old), meeting the need to assess MHL from a comprehensive perspective of the construct instead of focusing on a restricted number of mental disorders or specific dimensions (e.g., knowledge concerning specific disorders; stigma). The present study aimed to adapt the MHLq for the young adult population and to examine its psychometric properties, according to the following steps: (1) item adaptation, using a think aloud procedure (n = 5); (2) data collection (n = 356, aged between 18 and 25 years old; and (3) psychometric analyses (exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency analysis). The final version of the questionnaire included 29 items (total scale α = 0.84), organized by four dimensions: (1) knowledge of mental health problems (α = 0.74); (2) erroneous beliefs/stereotypes (α = 0.72); (3) help-seeking and first aid skills (α = 0.71); and (4) self-help strategies (α = 0.60). The results suggest that the MHLq-adult form is a practical, valid, and reliable screening tool for identifying gaps in knowledge, beliefs, and behavioral intentions related to mental health and mental disorders, planning promotion programs, and evaluating intervention effectiveness.

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Figure 1 Development of adaptation and study of psychometric properties of the mental health literacy questionnaire (MHLq)-young adult.
Figure 1 Development of adaptation and study of psychometric properties of the mental health literacy questionnaire (MHLq)-young adult.CC BY · PubMed Central

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  1. Janda, L. (1998). Psychological Testing: Theory and Applications, Pearson. [1st ed.].

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Metadata

Authors
Dias, P., Campos, L., Almeida, H., & Palha, F.
Affiliations
Universidade Católica Portuguesa (PT)
Corresponding author
Campos, Luísa
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2018-06-23
Volume
15
Issue
7
Pages
1318
ISSN
1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ijerph15071318
PMC
PMC6068770
OpenAlex
W2808937049
Cited by
137
References
18
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 1
FWCI
9.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (UID/CED/4872/2016)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Research and Theory › Health Education and Validation
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
Keywords
mental health literacy, young adults, questionnaire adaptation, psychometric properties, mental health knowledge, mental illness stereotypes, help-seeking, self-help strategies, mental health screening, mental illness
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Mental Disorders, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Psychometrics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Reproducibility of Results, Young Adult, Health Literacy

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