Genetic Predisposition and Awareness: Mental Health Literacy Among University Students with a Family History of Mental Illness

Young adults with a family history of mental illness are at a higher risk of mental health problems owing to genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, determining the mental health literacy levels of university students is important in planning preventive interventions for at-risk groups. This study aimed to assess the mental health literacy levels of university students with a family history of mental illness and examine whether these levels differ according to individual characteristics. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 74 university students with at least one family history of mental illness. The participants had a moderate level of mental health literacy. Students with a history of psychiatric illness had significantly higher mental health literacy scores. Gender significantly differed in belief-oriented subscale scores, with female students scoring higher. Resource-oriented subscale scores differed significantly based on students' experiences with psychiatric illness and prior knowledge of psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, positive correlations were found between age and the total mental health literacy and resource-oriented subscale scores. These findings highlight the need for preventive and educational interventions for at-risk students and the importance of improving mental health literacy.