HATİCE KARACA, ARZU YÜKSEL
Genel Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi - 2025;7(1):93-108
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.
