Relationship Between Mental Health Literacy And Help Seeking Behavior Among Undergraduate Students

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify the level of mental health literacy among undergraduate students to explore the relationship between mental health literacy and help seeking behavior among UPSI students and to identify the significant difference in mental health literacy score for students who have encountered people with mental health disorders. The study adapted cross-sectional quantitative survey design. Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) and General Help-Seeking Questionnaire are used in this study. N=130 UPSI students (n=25 male, n=105 female) completed the online survey which measure multiple dimensions of mental health literacy and help seeking behavior. The level of mental health literacy of undergraduate students was measured through the mean score of the MHLS. Result revealed a mean score of the MHLS obtained from the sample is (M=117.97, SD=14.62). This score is lower as compared to previous studies using the same scale. The Pearson correlation between mental health literacy and help-seeking behavior showed a negative, weak correlation (r= -.139) which is in contrast with the previous studies using the same scale. There is a significant difference in the mean score of the students who answer Yes and No for the screening question on knowing people with mental health disorders. In summary, the topic of mental health literacy is a new area to be explored in Malaysia and limited number of researches is available to compare the data.

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