Recognition of Depression and Help-Seeking Preference Among University Students in Singapore: An Evaluation of the Impact of Advancing Research to Eliminate Mental Illness Stigma an Education and Contact Intervention.

Gregory Tee Hng Tan,Jue Hua Lau,Edimansyah Abdin,Kian Woon Kwok,Chong Min Janrius Goh,Siow Ann Chong,Mythily Subramaniam,Wei Jie Ong,Ellaisha Samari,Shazana Shahwan

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.582730

Gregory Tee Hng Tan, Jue Hua Lau + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.582730

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Abstract

Background: The SMHS 2016 revealed that young adults in Singapore had the highest 12-month prevalence of mental disorders, with depression being the most prevalent condition. Additionally, the study found that those with higher education were less likely to seek treatment. The recognition of mental illness and knowledge of where to seek help has been found to influence one's ability to seek timely psychological help. This study thus aims to evaluate the effects of ARTEMIS, an education and contact intervention on university students' recognition of depression and help-seeking preference.Methods: A total of 390 university students were recruited over a period of 6-months (October 2018 to April 2019). Students had to attend a one-off intervention which comprised a lecture on depression and personal contact with a person with lived experience of mental illness. Recognition of depression and help-seeking preference were assessed using a vignette approach, at pre- and post-intervention as well as at 3-month follow-up.Results: The intervention was effective at improving student's recognition of depression and this effect was sustained at 3-months follow-up. The intervention was also effective in shifting student's help-seeking preference, although the effects were not sustained at 3-month follow-up. Having a close friend or family with mental illness was associated with better recognition, and being able to correctly recognize depression was linked to a preference to seek psychiatric over non-psychiatric help.Conclusion: This study elucidated the efficacy of a knowledge-contact-based intervention in improving university students' recognition of depression and help-seeking preference. However, while the benefits on recognition of depression is more enduring, it is more transient for help-seeking beliefs, and booster sessions may be needed to improve the long-term effectiveness of the intervention on help-seeking preference. Lastly, to investigate the generalizability of this study's findings, future studies could replicate the current one across other non-self-selected samples, such as by integrating the intervention as part of student's orientation.

Highlights

Mental health literacy (MHL) is defined by Jorm as “the knowledge and beliefs about mental illness which aids their recognition, management or prevention” [1]
This study aims to assess whether an education and contact-based anti-stigma intervention—which was evinced to be effective at decreasing stigma and improving community attitudes toward depression [17, 18]—would be effective in improving university students’ recognition of depression [the most pervasive mental health condition amongst young adults in Singapore [19]] and their help-seeking preference, given that correct recognition and treatment beliefs are important in increasing appropriate help-seeking [6]
Data was collected as part of the Advancing Research Toward Eliminating Mental Illness Stigma (ARTEMIS) study, a repeated measures study which evaluated the effectiveness of an anti-stigma intervention

Summary

Introduction

Mental health literacy (MHL) is defined by Jorm as “the knowledge and beliefs about mental illness which aids their recognition, management or prevention” [1]. The knowledge of where to seek appropriate help from is another important component of MHL that influences one’s ability to seek timely help from psychiatric professionals. In some Ugandan communities for instance, individuals tend to seek help from traditional healers for mental health issues, with conventional hospitals seen only as a last resort, as most of them have the tendency to believe that “they are bewitched” [7] rather than recognizing the symptoms as a sign of mental illness. In Malaysia, a study found that consulting bomohs (Malay Shaman or traditional medicine practitioner) was significantly higher in families that believed in supernatural causes of mental illness, with deep-rooted cultural beliefs cited as a major barrier to psychiatric treatment [8]. This study aims to evaluate the effects of ARTEMIS, an education and contact intervention on university students’ recognition of depression and help-seeking preference

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