Nursing Students' Mental Health Literacy Levels and Beliefs Towards Mental Illnesses

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 93 - 108, 25.04.2025

Hatice Karaca , Arzu Yüksel

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the relationship between nursing students' mental health literacy levels and their beliefs about mental illnesses. A total of 310 nursing students participated in this descriptive and cross-sectional study. Data were collected online via Google Forms using the "Student Information Form," the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS), and the Beliefs Towards Mental Illness Scale (BTMIS). Permission for the research was obtained from the university's ethics committee and the dean's office of the nursing department. Descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test were used to analyze individual characteristics, while the Spearman correlation test was employed to determine the relationships between variables. The average total score on the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) was 110.44 ± 11.09, while the average total score on the Beliefs Towards Mental Illness Scale (BTMIS) was 50.08 ± 15.36. A statistically significant difference was found between students' ages and their MHLS total scores (p<0.05). Additionally, a significant difference was observed between having individuals with mental illness in one's close circle and the BTMIS total score (p<0.05). There was a significant negative relationship between the MHLS and BTMIS (r = -0.204, p<0.01). The study determined that as students' mental health literacy scores increased, their negative beliefs about mental illnesses decreased. It is recommended to provide students with educational programs related to mental health to further enhance their understanding and attitudes.

Keywords

Nursing Students , Mental Health , Literacy , Mental Illness , Belief.

Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinin Ruh Sağlığı Okuryazarlığı Düzeyi ile Ruhsal Hastalıklara Yönelik İnançları

Abstract

Araştırma, hemşirelik öğrencilerinin ruh sağlığı okuryazarlığı düzeyi ile ruhsal hastalıklara yönelik inançları arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel türde yapılan araştırmaya 310 hemşirelik öğrencisi katılmıştır. Araştırmada “Öğrenci Bilgi Formu, Ruh Sağlığı Okuryazarlığı Ölçeği (RSOÖ) ve Ruhsal Hastalığa Yönelik İnançlar Ölçeği (RHYİÖ)” kullanılarak google forms üzerinden online olarak araştırmanın verileri toplanmıştır. Araştırma için üniversitenin etik kurulundan ve hemşirelik bölümü dekanlığından izin alınmıştır. Bireysel özelliklerin analizinde tanımlayıcı testler, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis-H testi ve değişken arasındaki ilişkinin belirlenmesinde Spearman korelasyon testi kullanılmıştır. RSO ölçeğinin toplam puan ortalaması 110.44±11.09, RHYİ ölçeğinin puan ortalaması 50.08±15.36’dır. Öğrencilerin yaşları ile RSOÖ toplam puanı arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede bir farklılık bulunmuştur (p<0.05). Yakın çevrelerinde ruhsal hastalığı olan birey durumu ile RHYİÖ toplam puanı arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede bir farklılık bulunmuştur (p<0.05). RSOÖ ile RHYİÖ arasında negatif yönde anlamlı bir ilişki vardır (r=-0.204, p<0.01). Öğrencilerin ruh sağlığı okuryazarlık puanı arttıkça ruhsal hastalıklara yönelik olumsuz inançlarının azaldığı belirlendi. Öğrencilere ruh sağlığı ile ilgili eğitim programlarının verilmesi önerilebilir.

Keywords

Hemşirelik Öğrencileri , Ruh Sağlığı , Okuryazarlık , Ruhsal Hastalık , İnanç.

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