Mental health literacy level and barriers to seeking mental health counseling in adults

Abstract

Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the level of mental health literacy and the barriers to seeking mental health counseling in adults. Methods: The study employed a descriptive and cross-sectional design. Data were collected between January 2, 2023, and March 31, 2023, by reaching individuals across Turkey through online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, using Google Forms and snowball sampling. The data collection process was completed with 348 participants. The Personal Information Form, Mental Health Literacy Scale, and Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Counseling Scale were used for data collection. Results: The mean score of the Mental Health Literacy Scale (12.37±3.14) was average, while the mean score for the Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Counseling Scale (70.46±20.94) was below average. A negative correlation was found between mental health literacy and barriers to seeking mental health counseling (p<0.05). Conclusion: Among the barriers to seeking mental health counseling, the most critical factors affecting mental health literacy levels were lack of knowledge, limited access to resources, negative perceived value, emotional discomfort, and cultural barriers. It is recommended that future studies more comprehensively identify these barriers and the influencing factors.