Mental Health Literacy Research Articles

Exploring differences in perceived barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccine uptake and testing intention by vaccination status and testing hesitancy among rural Latino communities in Southwest Florida

ABSTRACT Background: Identifying factors impacting vaccination and testing for COVID-19 is crucial to reduce health disparities, especially for rural/agricultural, low access and high poverty Latino communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic. This study examined differences in perceived barriers and facilitators (such as values, beliefs, and concerns) to COVID-19 vaccine uptake and testing intention by vaccination status and testing hesitancy among rural Latino community members in Southwest Florida. Methods: Rural Latino community members (N = 493) completed a cross-sectional survey in Spanish (86.0%) or English (14.0%) on perceived COVID-19 vaccine/testing barriers and facilitators, as well as demographics, mental health, medical history, health perceptions, and health literacy. Results: At the time of the survey, approximately 43% of participants were unvaccinated and 46.4% were testing hesitant. Significantly more vaccinated participants acknowledged keeping their family (d = .25), community (d = .27), and themselves (d = .22) safe as facilitators to vaccination (ps < .001). Among the unvaccinated participants, the most common concerns for getting vaccinated were side effects (d = −.53) and lack of knowledge about how the vaccine works (d = −.35, ps < .001). Testing hesitant participants reported concerns including not knowing where to get tested (d = −.25, p = 0.01) and less confidence in a positive test result (d = −.40, p < 0.001). Doctors and faith leaders were ranked as the most trusted information sources across groups. In logistic regression models, vaccination was linked to age, gender, education, and protecting others, while concerns about needles and side effects reduced odds; testing was driven by education, anxiety, hope, and safety concerns. Conclusion: Promoting family and community safety may be effective facilitators influencing vaccine and testing intention in rural Latino communities. Enhanced education by trusted information sources, such as doctors and faith leaders may alleviate associated concerns. Our findings may inform actions for future pandemics. Further studies should determine the generalizability of our findings across other rural migrant communities and other vaccines.

"This Is Me" an Awareness-Raising and Anti-Stigma Program for Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Pre-Post Intervention Study.

Stigma education for nursing students has focused solely on stigma reduction, with studies showing temporary improvements in attitudes. However, nursing education research should also emphasize the importance of critical reflection and self-reflection to enhance attitudes, beliefs, topic comprehension, and learning satisfaction. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the "This is me" intervention regarding knowledge, attitudes, and communication skills of senior undergraduate nursing students in responding to mental illness-related stigma. This study employed a psychoeducational intervention for reducing mental illness stigma, using a questionnaire survey to assess pre- and post-intervention effects, with 37 eligible nursing students undergoing clinical training in psychiatric services between 16 May and 15 July 2022. Instruments included sociodemographic and health questions, the MICA-4 scale to evaluate students' attitudes toward mental illness, the MAKS to measure mental health knowledge, the Empathy Scale (JSPE-S), the Intergroup Anxiety Scale (SS-12), and the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27). Most students were female (73.0%) and single (70.3%), with a mean age of around 29 years. After implementing the psychoeducational program, there was a statistically significant increase in overall stigma-related knowledge (MAKS: Z = -1.99, p < 0.05), a decrease in intergroup anxiety (IAS: Z = -3.42, p < 0.05), and reductions in the perceptions of patients as dangerous (AQ27-Dangerousness: Z = -2.399, p < 0.05) and fear (AQ27-Fear: Z = -2.415, p < 0.05). Additionally, there was an improvement in empathy, specifically in Perspective Taking (JSPE: Z = -2.555, p < 0.05). This program may contribute to mental health literacy related to stigma, positively impacting therapeutic relationships and communication with people with mental illness and resulting in more effective care practices.

Integrating digital and interactive approaches in adolescent health literacy: a comprehensive review.

Adolescent health literacy is critical for navigating the complex landscape of modern healthcare and making informed decisions that influence long-term health outcomes. This comprehensive review synthesizes current research on integrating digital tools and interactive learning approaches to enhance health literacy among adolescents. We explore the use of digital technologies, such as mobile apps and virtual reality, which cater to the preferences of this tech-savvy generation, offering personalized and accessible health information. The effectiveness of interactive learning methodologies, including simulations and role-playing, is also examined, highlighting their potential to increase engagement and retention of health-related knowledge. We address the importance of mental health literacy and the role of social media and peer education in disseminating health information effectively. Our review identifies gaps in the current literature, particularly the need for studies that consider long-term outcomes and the impact of socioeconomic and cultural factors on health literacy initiatives. We propose a multidimensional approach to health literacy education that incorporates innovative technologies and interactive methods to meet the diverse needs of adolescents in various contexts. The findings suggest that an integrated approach, including digital and critical health literacy, is essential for developing comprehensive health education programs that are both informative and engaging for adolescents.

Barriers and Facilitators to Mental Health Service Integration: A Scoping Review.

Mental health service integration currently has no consensus definition and exists in a variety of settings, including primary care, addiction treatment and chronic disease management, and mental health nurses have often experienced efforts at service integration with varying degrees of success. The intent of mental health service integration is to enable collaboration between mental health services and other healthcare providers to improve service access and the care provided to individuals with mental health issues or mental illness. This scoping review aimed to explore service integration between mental health services and with a specific focus on those evaluated in peer-reviewed, primary literature, to determine facilitators and barriers to service integration. Using the Arksey and O'Malley's framework for scoping reviews, we located 3148 studies, with screening narrowing final papers for inclusion to 18. Facilitators to service integration included clinician education, adequate resourcing and an interdisciplinary approach, while barriers included staff factors such as a reluctance to work with individuals with mental illness, consumer level barriers such as poor mental health literacy, 'territorialism' among staff and organisational climate. Research indicates that service integration is an effective means to detect and treat mental health issues in settings that do not traditionally provide mental health care, lowering the costs of providing healthcare and providing improved care for mental health needs; however, there are several barriers to be addressed to achieve full implementation of integration models.

Mental Health Literacy Reduces Mental Disorder Stigma in Society

The general background mental health issues remain a major global health challenge, including in Indonesia, where mental illness is often stigmatized. Specific background mental illness stigma is prevalent in society, manifesting in negative attitudes towards individuals with mental disorders, thus affecting their acceptance and treatment. Knowledge gap there is limited research exploring the relationship between mental health literacy and mental illness stigma within community settings in Indonesia. This study aims to investigate the correlation between mental health literacy and mental disorder stigma among residents of a selected community. Results the findings reveal a significant negative correlation between mental health literacy and mental disorder stigma, indicating that higher levels of mental health literacy are associated with lower levels of stigma. Novelty this study contributes to the limited body of knowledge by demonstrating that improving mental health literacy can effectively reduce mental disorder stigma in community settings. Implications these results suggest that public health interventions focusing on mental health education may help reduce stigmatization, fostering a more supportive environment for individuals with mental health disorders, which may ultimately lead to better access to mental health services and outcomes. Highlights: Higher mental health literacy lowers mental disorder stigma. Stigma reduction improves mental health support in communities. Public health education can reduce mental disorder misconceptions. Keywords: Mental Health, Mental Disorder, Stigma, Community Attitudes, Education

Low mental health literacy is associated with depression and anxiety among adults: a population-based survey of 16,715 adults in China

BackgroundMental health literacy is a predictor of health outcomes in psychological distress. However, limited research has explored whether low mental health literacy is associated with recent depression and anxiety.MethodsWe used data from the Guangdong Mental Health Survey, a provincial representative and a population-based survey with a multistage stratified cluster random sampling method. We included adults aged 18 and above living in communities from September to December 2021 in Guangdong, China. Eligible participants were those who completed the mental health literacy questionnaire and assessments for depression and anxiety symptoms. We assessed the proportion of individuals with low mental health literacy by categories of psychological symptoms and whether low mental health literacy was associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms in the general population and subgroups.ResultsA total of 16,715 adults were included. We found that individuals with more severe symptoms had a greater proportion of low mental health literacy- it went from 89.4% in participants without depression or anxiety to 96.2% in people who co-occurred with depression and anxiety (x2 = 21.457, P < 0.001). After controlling confounders, low mental health literacy was associated with depression (adjusted Odds Ratio, aOR [95%CI]:2.74 [1.92–4.04]) and anxiety (2.27 [1.49–3.64]) in the total sample, when compared with adequate mental health literacy.ConclusionsThis study found a positive association between low mental health literacy and the presence of depression and anxiety. Tackling inadequate mental health literacy may be a key strategy to promote psychological well-being across the lifespan, especially for young adults.

Prevalence and correlates of mental disorders among women: results from the Saudi National Mental Health Survey

BackgroundMental disorders account for a significant proportion of the world’s disease burden and are more significant among females than males. However, most global mental health research is sex neutral, including in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study, therefore, estimated the prevalence of mental disorders and investigated the sociodemographic correlates, sex disadvantage factors, and treatment-seeking in Saudi women concerning lifetime and 12-month mental disorders.MethodThe Saudi National Mental Health Survey is a stratified multistage clustered area probability design. Lifetime and 12-month mental disorders were assessed through the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). The correlates considered for this study included age-at-interview, education, marital status, employment status, socioeconomic status (SES), any chronic condition and household characteristics (region, urbanicity, and income), as well as domestic violence, age at marriage and in a polygamous marriage. Data was analysed using PROC SURVEYFREQ procedure as well as logistic regression in SAS 9.2.ResultsOverall, 24.7% and 35.9% of Saudi women experienced at least one of the disorders in the prior 12 months and at least once in their lifetime, respectively. Anxiety disorders were the most frequently reported 12-month and lifetime disorders, followed by mood disorders. The region, urbanicity, chronic conditions, employment status, as well as certain sex disadvantage factors were significantly associated with both 12-month and lifetime disorders. Most women did not seek treatment for 12-month mental disorders (86.2%) and lifetime disorders (73.8%).ConclusionOur study confirms that mental health issues, particularly anxiety and mood disorders, are highly prevalent among Saudi women, influenced by chronic conditions and sex-related factors like domestic violence and polygamy. Future research should focus on improving mental health literacy, using rigorous study designs to explore female-specific variables, and investigating genetic and environmental factors.

Does major make a difference? Mental health literacy and its relation to college major in a diverse sample of undergraduate students

Examining a large number of specific college majors and their association with mental health literacy (MHL) is an important step towards identifying at-risk groups at the college level. Though prior research has investigated MHL across student demographics such as gender, age, ethnicity, and level of education, the present study was the first to compare the MHL of undergraduate students across 19 different college majors. A total of 617 demographically and ethnically diverse undergraduate students (62.1% female; 69.3% non-white; mean age = 22.2 years; mean year in college = 2.8) reported their demographics, college experience, and college major, and completed an MHL measure that assessed knowledge of more than 20 psychological disorders and the application of that knowledge to real life scenarios. After controlling for gender, data were analyzed using ANOVA and post hoc comparisons to determine if differences in mental health literacy level were related to specific college majors. Results revealed that mental health literacy significantly differed across majors, F(18, 598) = 5.09, p < .001. Specifically, students majoring in accounting, nursing, business, biology, and those in a multidisciplinary category had significantly lower mental health literacy scores compared to the highest scoring major, psychology. We present empirical data about variations in mental health literacy across many different majors in higher education. Our findings provide a rationale for interventions for academic majors with lower MHL, as well as a rationale for training of college faculty and staff, for the purpose of improving psychological well-being in at-risk college students.

Partnerships Between Faith Communities and the Mental Health Sector: A Scoping Review.

Faith communities are increasingly providing services to address the mental health needs of their congregations and communities. However, many feel limited in their capacity to address serious illness and experience challenges to collaborating with the mental health sector. To inform the development of faith community-mental health sector partnerships, the authors conducted a scoping review to assess the characteristics and evidence base of partnership approaches to addressing mental health needs. A search of four databases identified peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2023 on faith community-mental health sector partnerships in the United States. In total, 37 articles representing 32 unique partnerships were reviewed. Most partnerships (N=19) used multicomponent approaches, particularly involving training the faith community (N=18), mental health education for the broader community (N=14), and direct counseling (N=11). Many partnerships (N=14) focused on African American communities. Partnerships that included an evaluation component (N=20) showed promising findings for improving mental health symptoms, mental health literacy, stigma, and referrals, among other outcomes. Several articles reported facilitators (e.g., support from faith leaders and reciprocal relationships and equal power) and barriers (e.g., limited time and funding and differing interests and attitudes) to developing partnerships. The findings highlight how faith communities can be a critical partner in providing services across the continuum of mental health care and reveal the need for more rigorous evaluations of the effectiveness, feasibility, and sustainability of these partnerships. The results also identify strategies that may facilitate the development and strengthening of future faith community-mental health partnerships.

Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the universal mental health literacy scale for adolescents

PurposeWhile enhancing mental health literacy is a critical component of preventive mental health, there is currently no mental health literacy instrument specific to adolescents in Turkey. This study aimed to adapt the universal mental health literacy scale for adolescents (UMHL-A) to Turkish and determine its validity and reliability. MethodsThis methodological study utilized data collected from 268 adolescents aged 10 to 14 years, between April and June 2024. Data were obtained using a personal information form and the UMHL-A. The construct validity of the scale was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis, and its reliability was assessed with internal consistency and test-retest reliability. ResultsThe scale consists of two parts: the Likert UMHL-A, a five-point scale to determine adolescents' attitudes, and the T/F UMHL-A, a true/false scale to measure their knowledge. In this study, it was shown that the Likert UMHL-A, which includes 8 items and two factors, namely help-seeking and stigma, and the T/F UMHL-A, which consists 9 items and two factors namely mental health knowledge and mental illness knowledge, had good fit indices. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was 0.934 for the Likert UMHL-A, and 0.862 for the T/F UMHL-A. The item-total score correlation coefficients of the Likert UMHL-A ranged between 0.582 and 0.856, whereas those of the T/F UMHL-A varied between 0.483 and 0.804. ConclusionThe Turkish version of the UMHL-A is a valid and reliable tool for assessing adolescents' mental health literacy. Implications for practiceHealth professionals can use this brief and easy-to-apply instrument in clinical practices or educational programs to identify and improve adolescents' mental health literacy.

“Effectiveness of School-based Scaling up Teen Mental Health Program through peer synergy (SUTMP) on mental health promotion, mental health literacy, and resilience among senior secondary students of Sikkim, India- A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.”

BackgroundMental health conditions are a significant burden during adolescence, with up to 50% starting before age 14. Suicide is among the top three causes of death in this age group, highlighting the need for effective mental health interventions. ObjectiveThe primary objective of the study is to determine the effectiveness of school-based Scaling up Teen Mental Health Program through peer synergy (SUTMP) on mental health literacy among senior secondary students. MethodsA cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted among the students of government senior secondary schools. The intervention comprises five modules focusing on mental health literacy, mental health promotion, peer synergy on first aid in mental health, strengthening resilience, and the fifth module focuses on relaxation exercises, meditation and deep breathing techniques, and mindfulness with “Teen mental health app.” Students will be assessed using the Resilience Scale, Mental Health Promotion Knowledge Scale, Peer Mental Health Stigmatization Scale, Teen Mental Health Literacy Scale, and Peer Synergy on Mental Health First Aid Scale. Assessment will be done before the intervention, one week after, at three and six months post-intervention. Expected ResultsThe anticipated outcome of the study is that the school-based Scaling up Teen Mental Health Program (SUTMP) will increase mental health literacy among school students, strengthen their resilience skills, and increase the use of a peer-led approach for providing initial mental health first aid. ConclusionThe study will employ an innovative module for delivering the intervention, integrating on-site and app-based approaches in a blended manner.

Mental health literacy of adolescents in Bermuda, according to age, gender and race.

Mental health literacy (MHL) is an important part of the help-seeking process, yet there is a lack of knowledge about the MHL of adolescents in the Caribbean. This region is important to study as it is underrepresented in mental health research globally. The aim of this study is to explore the ability of adolescents in Bermuda to recognize depression and social phobia (social anxiety) and their beliefs about the sources of help for a peer with these mental health problems. This cross-sectional study surveyed middle and high school students aged 10-19 years in Bermuda. Online surveys conducted between November 2022 and June 2023 gathered demographic data including age, gender and race, and assessed the ability to recognize depression and social anxiety from descriptions provided in randomly assigned vignettes, and beliefs about sources of help. Across 15 middle and high schools, 2423 adolescents (out of 3593 eligible participants) completed all demographic and MHL survey questions (1139 males, 1272 females). Recognition rates for depression and social anxiety were 60% and 53%, respectively. Compared to females, males endorsed a greater variety of help sources. Reporting symptoms of depression or anxiety reduced the likelihood of endorsing multiple sources of help. MHL of adolescents in Bermuda is sub-optimal, particularly for social anxiety. Mental health promotion programs may be useful in improving recognition rates.

The integrated behavioral model of mental health help seeking (IBM-HS): A health services utilization theory of planned behavior for accessing care.

This article introduces the integrated behavioral model of mental health help seeking (IBM-HS), a theoretical model for understanding the constructs (e.g., systemic, predisposing, and enabling factors; mental health literacy; illness perceptions; perceived need; stigma; shame; perceived benefits, motivation) that influence people's decision making around seeking professional mental health care and their ultimate access to formal treatment. The IBM-HS is a help-seeking-specific adaptation of the empirically supported integrated behavioral model and integrative model, which are themselves evolutions of the theory of planned behavior and theory of reasoned action. The IBM-HS posits that help-seeking determinants (e.g., structural forces; cultural influences; past help-seeking experience; evaluated need; mental health perceptions, knowledge, and skills; social support) influence help-seeking beliefs (i.e., outcome beliefs, experiential beliefs, beliefs about others' expectations, beliefs about others' behavior, logistical beliefs), which in turn determine their respective help-seeking mechanisms (i.e., attitude, perceived norm, personal agency). These mechanisms collectively influence help-seeking intention, which drives prospective help-seeking behavior, subject to the moderating effects of determinants. Finally, prospective behavior has reciprocal feedback loop effects on certain determinants and beliefs. This article describes the need for the IBM-HS, the model's constructs and their interrelations, measurement considerations, and how the model can be used by scholarly and applied users to systematically understand people's intention to seek professional mental health care services and what helps or hinders them from utilizing this care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessing the Mental Health Literacy Among Young and Middle-Aged Stroke Patients: Implications for Health Education

Assessing the Mental Health Literacy Among Young and Middle-Aged Stroke Patients: Implications for Health Education

Mental Health Literacy Reduces the Impact of Internalized Stigma on Older Adults' Attitudes and Intentions to Seek Mental Health Services

ABSTRACT Objectives Older adults are the least likely age group to seek mental health services, and internalized stigma is an important reason why. We sought to further our understanding of which older adults are particularly likely to be affected by internalized stigma, and why, by investigating mental health literacy (MHL) as a moderator within the internalized stigma model of help-seeking. Methods We utilized a conditional process analysis of cross-sectional, secondary data from 350 distressed older adults. Participants completed an online survey consisting of measures of distress, perceived control, experiential avoidance, MHL, public and self-stigma of seeking help, help-seeking attitudes, and conditional help-seeking intentions. Results MHL moderated the internalized stigma model; distressed older adults with lower MHL were more likely to have public stigma internalized as self-stigma, which then reduced their intentions to seek help. More specifically, low MHL magnified the negative effect of self-stigma on attitudes and intentions. Conclusions These results increase our understanding of which older adults are less likely to seek mental health services: distressed older adults with poor MHL and high self-stigma. Clinical Implications MHL is a malleable construct that can be targeted by interventions designed to increase help-seeking among distressed older adults in need of professional help.

Assessment of Mental Health Literacy among School Teachers A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

This study aims to look at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistani school teachers' mental health literacy (MHL). More specifically, focuses on the teachers' capacity to identify knowledge of psychological disorders, their comprehension of risk factors, and their perspectives on mental health. A cross-sectional approach was utilized for the collection of data from five hundred teachers working in government and private schools in the districts of Peshawar and Swabi. The Mental Health Literacy Scale was utilized to obtain this information. The results show that teachers at private schools are consistently more knowledgeable about mental health than those in public schools, especially when it comes to self-treatment awareness. On the other hand, instructors employed by the government demonstrated more positive attitudes regarding recognizing mental health disorders and seeking assistance for them. Additionally, substantial disparities were discovered between teachers from Peshawar and Swabi, with teachers from Peshawar displaying increased knowledge of mental health than Swabi instructors. To better support teachers' mental health, the findings highlight the necessity of specialized training programs to improve mental health literacy (MHL) amongst teachers, particularly in locations with limited resources or resources.

Current Status and Factors Influencing Mental Health Literacy in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aimed to investigate the current status of mental health literacy and related influencing factors in patients with coronary heart disease. Four hundred and thirty-five patients with coronary heart disease were recruited in this survey. Data collection was conducted using the General Information Questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Mental Health Literacy Scale, Coronary Artery Disease Self-Management Scale, Social Support Rating Scale, and Coronary Heart Disease Self-Efficacy Scale. Descriptive methods, independent samples t-test or one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis. The results showed that the mean total mental health literacy score of patients with coronary heart disease was 96.42 ± 8.40; gender, age, education level, monthly per capita family income, first diagnosed with coronary heart disease, cardiac function classification, self-management ability, social support, and self-efficacy were the factors influencing the level of mental health literacy in patients with coronary heart disease (all p < 0.05). The study suggests that mental health literacy can improve patients' self-management ability and self-efficacy, and healthcare professionals should emphasize the strengthening of this aspect of health education in order to better improve patient's prognosis.

Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Neurodivergent Students: Outcomes of a Mental Health Literacy Program for Primary School Educators

This study evaluated the effectiveness of neurodiversity training modules from a mental health literacy program for primary school staff offered over a three-year period (2013–2015), entitled ‘Teaching and Mental Health’. Using archival data, this study aimed to identify how much teachers learned, how confident they were about using this newly acquired knowledge, and how well the training met the teachers’ learning needs. This study also aimed to explore the relationship between knowledge and confidence, and how satisfaction indicators affected this relationship. Key ethical considerations of neurodiversity training and outcome measurement are discussed. A pre-test and post-test survey design was conducted with 99 primary school teachers from the Brisbane region in Australia. Analyses included three paired-samples t-tests, descriptive statistics, a linear regression analysis, and a mediation analysis. Significant increases of knowledge and confidence were found compared to baseline, and mean satisfaction ratings were high. Knowledge was a significant predictor of confidence, and mental health presenter ratings partially mediated this relationship. It is proposed that future delivery of the program should invest in improving presenter effectiveness.

Mental health literacy for public employees

PurposeAlthough mental disorders are common in the workplace, they often go unnoticed. There is frequently a gap in the recognition and effective management of these disorders, leading to delayed recovery and worsening conditions. This study evaluates the level of Mental Health Literacy (MHL) among employees of the Finance and Planning Departments in the Federal District, Brazil, and proposes preventive measures and de-stigmatization strategies for mental health in the workplace.MethodsMHL among active employees was assessed using the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS), developed by O’Connor and Casey (2015) and validated for Brazilian Portuguese by Buta et al. (2024). The data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics, with nonparametric tests used to compare MHL across different groups.ResultsThe results showed that 27.6% of participants had adequate literacy, 67.9% had problematic levels, and 4.5% had inadequate levels. Women were observed to have higher literacy levels than men. Additionally, significant variations in literacy levels were noted among individuals with different health conditions; those diagnosed with cancer, depression, or other illnesses had higher literacy than those without diagnosed conditions.ConclusionTo address MHL challenges, educational actions such as awareness campaigns, training, and consultancy programs are essential.

The Role of Mental Health Literacy in Shaping Help-Seeking Behaviors among High School Students in Vietnam

Background: Mental health issues, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, are becoming more common among high school students, yet cultural stigma and inadequate mental health literacy impede effective help-seeking in Vietnam. Adolescents sometimes encounter obstacles in identifying mental health issues and obtaining suitable resources, particularly in environments where professional services are inadequate and mental health is stigmatized. Purpose: This study aims to address the comprehension of mental health awareness and help-seeking behaviors among Vietnamese high school students. Methods: The study involved 422 high school students from four cities in Vietnam. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) and Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) were employed to evaluate mental health awareness and behavior, with data processed utilizing SPSS version 22.0. Result: Students exhibited the greatest awareness of bipolar disorder (M = 4.43, SD = 0.844). Students experience a moderate to high level of anxiety when they become aware of potential mental health issues (M = 3.50, SD = 1.296). In order of priority, students actively seek information about mental health professionals (M = 3.88, SD = 0.645). Students are highly critical and thoughtful in comparing different sources of advice before deciding on a mental health strategy (M = 4.27, SD = 0.925). Students are slightly more likely to participate in these programs compared to other formal mental health resources (M = 1.44, SD = 0.469). Some students turn to online communities for support and guidance in managing their mental health issues (M = 1.63, SD = 0.483). Conclusion: This investigation underscores numerous critical developments in the mental health awareness and help-seeking behaviors of students in high schools. Students exhibited a deliberate approach to evaluating mental health resources and a strong awareness of bipolar disorder.