Measuring Mental Health Literacy : Adaptation and Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS)

IF 0.6 Q4 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

European Journal of Mental Health Pub Date : 2021-01-01 DOI:10.5708/EJMH.16.2021.1.5

D. D. Neto, Inês Rocha, M. Figueiras, Ana Tereza Medeiros Cavalcante da Silva

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引用次数: 8

Abstract

Understanding mental health literacy is essential for promoting empowerment and proactivity in patients, reducing stigma, and increasing population awareness. The constitutive dimensions of mental health literacy are still being researched, and instruments’ research can shed light on the involved processes. The Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) is a self-report measure of mental health literacy. This study aimed to adapt the MHLS to Portuguese and evaluate mental health literacy in a broad sample. A broad sample of 337 individuals participated in the adaptation. Besides filling out the MHLS, the participants were invited to fill out a general lifestyle measure. The global results reveal a good internal consistency of the MHLS. A three-factor structure (i.e., attitudes towards mental illness, knowledge about mental illness, and the ability to recognize symptoms) explained 35% of the total variance. Despite not finding an association with the general lifestyle measure, the MHLS scored higher in women and individuals with higher schooling, as expected. The results reinforce the role of MHLS as a useful measure of mental health literacy. The identified structure is discussed in light of the current understanding and implications of this essential process.

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心理健康素养的测量:葡萄牙语版心理健康素养量表(MHLS)的适应与验证

了解精神卫生素养对于促进患者赋权和主动性、减少耻辱感和提高人群意识至关重要。心理健康素养的构成维度仍在研究中，仪器的研究可以阐明所涉及的过程。心理健康素养量表(MHLS)是心理健康素养的自我报告测量。本研究旨在使MHLS适应葡萄牙，并在广泛的样本中评估心理健康素养。共有337人参与了适应实验。除了填写MHLS，参与者还被要求填写一份一般的生活方式量表。整体结果表明，MHLS具有良好的内部一致性。三因素结构(即对精神疾病的态度、对精神疾病的知识和识别症状的能力)解释了总方差的35%。尽管没有发现与一般生活方式测量的关联，但正如预期的那样，MHLS在女性和受过高等教育的个人中得分更高。结果加强了MHLS作为心理健康素养的有用措施的作用。根据目前对这一重要过程的理解和含义，对已确定的结构进行了讨论。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

European Journal of Mental Health PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

0.70

自引率

14.30%

发文量

期刊介绍： The European Journal of Mental Health, an open-access, peer reviewed, interdisciplinary, professional journal concerned with mental health, personal well-being and its supporting ecosystems that acknowledge the importance of people’s interactions with their environments, established in 2006, is published on 280 pages per volume in English and German by the Semmelweis University Institute of Mental Health. The journal’s professional oversight is provided by the Editor-in-Chief and an international Editorial Board, assisted by an Advisory Board. The semiannual journal, with issues appearing in June and December, is published in Budapest. The journal aims at the dissemination of the latest scientific research on mental health and well-being in Europe. It seeks novel, integrative and comprehensive, applied as well as theoretical articles that are inspiring for professionals and practitioners with different fields of interest: social and natural sciences, humanities and different segments of mental health research and practice. The primary thematic focus of EJMH is the social-ecological antecedents of mental health and foundations of human well-being. Most specifically, the journal welcomes contributions that present high-quality, original research findings on well-being and mental health across the lifespan and in historical perspective.