Mediating Role of Mental Help-Seeking Attitude in the Effect of Mental Health Literacy on Mental Treatment: A Structural Equation Model

Objective: This study aims to display the mediating role of mental help-seeking attitude in the effect of mental health literacy (MHL) on mental treatment. Methods: This study conducted through a structural equation model. This research was carried out in line with the descriptive survey and relational screening model to determine the relationship between the variables. In this scope, the predictive relationship between MHL’s effect on mental treatment and the mental help-seeking attitude was examined through a structural equation model. Data were obtained from 391 individuals through the Personal Information Form, the Mental Health Literacy Scale, and the Scale of Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help-Short Form. Results: It was observed that MHL affected mental help-seeking attitude. It was determined that the mental help-seeking attitude does not affect the mental treatment. While the resource-oriented sub-dimension of the Mental Health Literacy Scale had a statistically significant effect on mental treatment behavior, this effect was not observed in the knowledge-oriented and belief-oriented sub-dimensions. Mental help-seeking attitude does not play a mediating role in the effect of MHL on mental treatment. Conclusion: It was found that the help-seeking attitude develops in line with the MHL level increase. However, an increase in the level of MHL alone does not affect mental treatment. This indicates that other factors might also impact the mental treatment towards psychological problems.