The relationship between academicians' mental health literacy level and beliefs towards mental illness

This research was carried out in order to determine the mental health literacy level of academicians and their beliefs towards mental illness, to examine the relationship between them and to determine the variables that affect their beliefs towards mental illness. The research in descriptive and correlational design was carried out with 357 academicians working at Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University between July 2021 and February 2022. The data of the study were collected through the Personal Information Form, the Mental Health Literacy Scale and the Beliefs towards Mental Illness Scale. In the study, continuous variables were shown as mean±standard deviation (X±SD), and categorical variables were shown as frequency (n) and percentage (%). Independent samples t test or one-way analysis of variance was used to determine whether there was a difference between beliefs towards mental illness according to variables, the relationship between mental health literacy and beliefs towards mental illness was evaluated with Pearson correlation analysis, and the predictive status of beliefs towards mental illness was evaluated with multiple linear regression analysis. Academicians' Mental Health Literacy Scale and Beliefs towards Mental Illness Scale mean scores were determined as 17.05±3.75 and 69.40±16.64, respectively. It was found that there is a negative significant relationship between mental health literacy and beliefs towards mental illness. Also, it was determined that the variables affecting the beliefs towards mental illness were the studied department, receiving mental health literacy education, receiving psychiatric help before, having a family member with a mental disorder, wanting to work with someone with a mental disorder, encountering a student with a mental disorder in his professional life, and thoughts on the continuation of education of students with mental disorders. All variables in the model explain beliefs towards mental illness by 52.6%. As a result of the research, it was determined that the mental health literacy level of the academicians was above the average. In addition, it has been determined that academicians have negative beliefs towards mental illness and these beliefs are affected by many factors. Keywords: Academician, Mental Health Literacy, Beliefs towards Mental Illness