Measuring and predicting mental health literacy for depression

Abstract

This study investigated if mental health literacy for depression is a multidimensional construct, and sought to identify its components and to construct empirically derived questionnaire subscales. Following a literature review, items were generated to produce five conceptual subscales. These were administered to 228 respondents (136 females, 92 males), along with others measuring psychological constructs of theoretical relevance, specifically assessing: emotional intelligence, mindfulness, interdependence and independence, rebelliousness, and depressive symptomatology. Principal components analysis of the 38-item pool confirmed a 3-factor solution: (1) Knowledge and belief in psychological strategies for reducing depression, (2) Ability to recognise depression, and (3) Knowledge and beliefs in positive self-care habits for reducing depression. These components comprise the Public Understanding of Depression Questionnaire (PUDQ). Interdependence, emotional intelligence, sex of respondent and previous history of medication for mental health difficulties were found to be independently predictive of scores on the PUDQ subscales, supporting their construct validity, with Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients indicating their internal reliability. The PUDQ is a novel multidimensional tool which can be used in the delivery and assessment of strategies for promoting the understanding of depression amongst at-risk groups.