Association of mental health knowledge, stigma, and help-seeking with depression symptoms among young Malaysian adolescents

Abstract

This study examines the association between the mental health knowledge, stigma and help-seeking components of Mental Health Literacy (MHL) with depression symptoms among young adolescents in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 1,365 students selected randomly from 50 National Secondary Schools in Selangor from August to November 2017. MHL was assessed using the Mental Health Literacy and Stigma questionnaire (MHLS) and the Centre of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD) was used to screen for depression symptoms. Multivariate regression analysis was used to examine this association. Mental health knowledge, such as keeping the person busy as a helpful first aid action (negative first aid action) (AOR=1.75 (95% CI 1.19, 2.59), and getting out into the sunlight as a harmful intervention (unhelpful knowledge of intervention) (AOR=2.22; 95% CI 1.10, 4.50), were significantly associated with depression. In regard to stigma components, personal stigmatising attitudes such as not telling anyone if you have a problem like the person described in the vignette (AOR=2.52; 95% CI 1.50, 4.26) and perceiving the person described in the vignette as being dangerous to others (AOR=2.49; 95% CI 1.36, 4.55) were significantly associated with depression. Not endorsing family as a source of help (AOR=2.19; 95% CI 1.02, 4.69), worried what others might think if help is sought (AOR=1.67; 95% CI 1.02, 2.75), feeling that nothing can help (AOR=1.66; 95% CI 1.01, 2.70), were help-seeking components significantly associated with depression. Addressing these components of MHL could be key in reducing depression among adolescents.