Determination of mental health literacy and stigma levels for mental illnesses of religious officials

This study was conducted with the aim of descriptively and correlationally determining the levels of mental health literacy (MHL) and stigmatization related to mental illnesses among religious officials. The research involved 307 religious officials serving in positions such as imam, preacher, and Quran course instructor in the central district of Erzincan. These officials are affiliated with the Presidency of Religious Affairs, and they were selected through a random convenience sampling method. All participants willingly agreed to take part in the study. Data collection utilized the "Personal Information Form," "Mental Health Literacy Scale" (MHLS), and "Stigmatization Scale" (SS). The collected data underwent analysis through the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis H test. In cases where the Kruskal-Wallis H test yielded significant results, multiple comparisons were conducted using the Bonferroni correction test. Relationships between numerical variables were assessed through Spearman correlation and linear regression analysis. The mean total score of the MHLS was determined as 14,91±3, 61. Variables such as gender, age, years of professional experience, educational level, acquaintance with individuals with mental illnesses, and seeking help from someone with a mental illness were found to differentiate MHLS scores. In this study, the mean total score of the SS was established as 58,22±11,87, signifying a high level of stigmatization among religious officials. Gender, occupation, and internet access were identified as variables that differentiated the total stigmatization score. A statistically significant and very weak negative correlation (rho=-0.156, p=0.006) was observed between the MHLS score and the total stigmatization score. In conclusion, the MHL level of religious officials was categorized as moderate, while their stigmatization levels were considered high. As the MHL scores of religious officials increased, stigmatization levels decreased. It was determined that MHLS scores explained stigmatization scores by 1.5%.