Background:Mental health literacy(MHL)refers to one’s knowledge and understanding of mental health disorders and their treatments.This literacy may be influenced by cultural norms and values that shape individuals’e...Background:Mental health literacy(MHL)refers to one’s knowledge and understanding of mental health disorders and their treatments.This literacy may be influenced by cultural norms and values that shape individuals’experiences,beliefs,attitudes,and behaviors regarding mental health.This study focuses on adapting the Mental health literacy scale(MHLS)for use in the multicultural context of Israel.Objectives include validating its construct,assessing its accuracy in measuring MHL in this diverse setting and examining and comparing levels of MHL across different cultural groups.Methods:The data collection included 1057 participants,representing all the ethnic groups of the Israeli population aged 18 and over.The tools included the MHLS and a demographic questionnaire.Confirmatory factor analysis(CFA)was employed to assess the original structure of the MHLS.Results:The results revealed that after evaluating the original MHLS,five items were excluded,leading to the validation of a modified version—Israeli mental health scale(IMHLS)with four factors and 25 items.CFA and reliability analyses supported an established and robust four-factor model.Significant ethnic differences in MHLS scores were identified,with Muslim participants showing the highest familiarity with mental disorders,followed by Druze and Christian participants,while Jewish participants had the lowest familiarity.Conclusion:The study concluded that the IMHLS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing MHL in Israel’s diverse and multicultural population.The revised scale better reflects the cultural nuances of the Israeli context.The significant ethnic differences that the study revealed in IMHLS emphasize the importance of culturally sensitive mental health interventions tailored to different ethnic groups in Israel.展开更多
文摘Background:Mental health literacy(MHL)refers to one’s knowledge and understanding of mental health disorders and their treatments.This literacy may be influenced by cultural norms and values that shape individuals’experiences,beliefs,attitudes,and behaviors regarding mental health.This study focuses on adapting the Mental health literacy scale(MHLS)for use in the multicultural context of Israel.Objectives include validating its construct,assessing its accuracy in measuring MHL in this diverse setting and examining and comparing levels of MHL across different cultural groups.Methods:The data collection included 1057 participants,representing all the ethnic groups of the Israeli population aged 18 and over.The tools included the MHLS and a demographic questionnaire.Confirmatory factor analysis(CFA)was employed to assess the original structure of the MHLS.Results:The results revealed that after evaluating the original MHLS,five items were excluded,leading to the validation of a modified version—Israeli mental health scale(IMHLS)with four factors and 25 items.CFA and reliability analyses supported an established and robust four-factor model.Significant ethnic differences in MHLS scores were identified,with Muslim participants showing the highest familiarity with mental disorders,followed by Druze and Christian participants,while Jewish participants had the lowest familiarity.Conclusion:The study concluded that the IMHLS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing MHL in Israel’s diverse and multicultural population.The revised scale better reflects the cultural nuances of the Israeli context.The significant ethnic differences that the study revealed in IMHLS emphasize the importance of culturally sensitive mental health interventions tailored to different ethnic groups in Israel.
