Publication Date

2025

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Thomas Gross, Carl Myers, Lacretia Dye, Robert Fane

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Doctorate

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how a Mental Health Literacy (MHL) intervention impacted children’s knowledge of mental illnesses, responses to peers with mental illnesses, and perception of their school. The research questions were: (1) Did a MHL intervention increase students’ mental health knowledge? (2) Did a MHL intervention change students’ social distance preferences toward peers with mental illnesses? (3) Did a MHL intervention change a student’s perception of school climate? To evaluate these research questions, students from an elementary school in the Southern U.S. received a MHL curriculum and completed pre- and post-test measures of MHL knowledge, social distancing, and school climate. There was a total of 260 participants across third through fifth grade. There were 58 participants in pre-test nonintervention, 59 in pre-test intervention, 70 in post-test non-intervention, and 73 in post-test intervention. A 2 x 2 factorial analysis of covariance controlling for grade level indicated no difference between treatment and control on mental health knowledge (p = .707). A 2 x 2 factorial multivariate analysis of variance indicated no difference between treatment and control on social distance preferences (p = .341). A factorial 2 x 2 analysis of variance indicated no difference between treatment and control on school climate (p = .288). Future research could focus on ensuring the consistency of MHL curriculum delivery, along with more targeted instruction for mental health knowledge, social distance preferences, and perception of school climate.

Disciplines

Counseling | Education | Mental and Social Health | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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