The State of Mental Health Literacy among High School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives: Mental disorders affect around 20% of children and teenagers worldwide, resulting in a decrease in academic success and progress, ultimately resulting in a decrease in their academic performance. This research aimed to determine the level of mental health literacy for high school students in eastern Iran in 2023. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 348 high school students in Zirkuh City, Iran, using a cluster sampling method. The data was gathered by a 29-item questionnaire known as the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS). Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test were utilized for data analysis at a significant level of 0.05. Results: The study included 348 students with a mu (SD) age of 16.27 (0.89) years. Of these, 176 (50.6%) were female. Most students (53.2%) scored low in MHL with a mu (SD) score of 79.3 (9.2). The most common source of mental health knowledge was "Internet and friends" (65.5%). The mean score of "help-seeking attitudes" was significantly higher in students of natural sciences (P<0.03) and technical sciences (P<0.02) than those in humanities. There was a significant difference in the mean score of MHL, the ability to recognize disorders, and help-seeking attitudes based on the father's occupation. The mean scores for MHL and help-seeking attitudes were higher among self-employed fathers than those involved in farming and animal husbandry occupations (P<0.001). The study found that students whose fathers were teachers had a higher ability to recognize disorders compared to the other groups (P<0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results of the study, the level of MHL of the students participating in the study was not favourable. Therefore, it is necessary to develop educational interventions for students and their parents with their teachers' aim. Paper Type: Research Article