title: Mental health literacy of depression: gender differences and attitudinal antecedents in a representative British sample.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poor mental health literacy and negative attitudes toward individuals with mental health disorders may impede optimal help-seeking for symptoms of mental ill-health. The present study examined the ability to recognize cases of depression as a function of respondent and target gender, as well as individual psychological differences in attitudes toward persons with depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a representative British general population survey, the ability to correctly recognize vignettes of depression was assessed among 1,218 adults. Respondents also rated the vignettes along a number of attitudinal dimensions and completed measures of attitudes toward seeking psychological help, psychiatric skepticism, and anti-scientific attitudes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in the ability to correctly identify cases of depression as a function of respondent and target gender. Respondents were more likely to indicate that a male vignette did not suffer from a mental health disorder compared to a female vignette, and women were more likely than men to indicate that the male vignette suffered from a mental health disorder. Attitudes toward persons with depression were associated with attitudes toward seeking psychological help, psychiatric skepticism, and anti-scientific attitudes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Initiatives that consider the impact of gender stereotypes as well as individual differences may enhance mental health literacy, which in turn is associated with improved help-seeking behaviors for symptoms of mental ill-health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. v.swami@westminster.ac.uk
authors.forename: Viren
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Swami
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult