MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AND STIGMA QUESTIONNAIRE: A VALIDATION STUDY AMONG YOUNG ADULTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v7i3.1227Keywords:
mental health literacy, stigma, help-seeking, reliabilityAbstract
This study aimed to validate the Mental Health Literacy and Stigma Questionnaire among young adults residing in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Although other instruments assessing knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking domains have been validated, there is currently no published validation study of this specific questionnaire targeting early adulthood in the Malaysian context. A purposive sampling method was employed using online recruitment. A total of 289 participants completed the online survey, with a mean age of 20.82 years. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted on eight latent constructs. The final 58-item model demonstrated an acceptable fit based on relative chi-square and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation indices. Convergent validity was established for five constructs: Knowledge about Prevention, Help-Seeking, Perceived Self-Stigma, Perceived Community Stigma, and Social Distance. Most constructs also demonstrated discriminant validity. Furthermore, high composite reliability values were observed for Knowledge about Illness, Knowledge about Prevention, Help-Seeking, Perceived Self-Stigma, Perceived Community Stigma, and Social Distance. This study contributes to the field by offering a preliminary validation of a culturally relevant tool for assessing mental health literacy and stigma among Malaysian youth.
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