Knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in Gweru, Zimbabwe
Introduction: The study sought to investigate and examine knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in the Gweru district. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, 15 students from three secondary schools in Gweru were purposively sampled for inclusion in...
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| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media
2023
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| Online Access: | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5579 |
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| author | Sibusiso Khombo Kennedy Khombo Robert Shalom Stoddart Innocent Sifelani Theresi Sibanda |
| author2 | Department of Applied Psychology, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe. |
| author_facet | Department of Applied Psychology, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe. Sibusiso Khombo Kennedy Khombo Robert Shalom Stoddart Innocent Sifelani Theresi Sibanda |
| author_sort | Sibusiso Khombo |
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| description | Introduction: The study sought to investigate and examine knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in the Gweru district. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, 15 students from three secondary schools in Gweru were purposively sampled for inclusion in this study. Data collection was through semi-structured interviews. The study utilized thematic data analysis and the following themes emerged from the study; ignorance, misinformation, indifference, lack of trust, gender differences, and alternative supports. Results: Generally, the research findings revealed that most secondary school students were aware of the existence of mental health services although they had distorted information on the same. Poor utilization of services was largely attributed to the consideration of “formal” mental health services as the last resort for remedy after the failure of “informal” services to yield positive results. Thus, mental health services were not on the priority list of intervention measures used by secondary students in light of mental health issues. The study recommends psycho-education sessions to promote the utilization of mental health services by secondary school students. Discussion: Notably, the current study revealed that participants lacked correct information about MHS and its related utility. Munson et al. (2009) concur by stating that some adolescents believed that their mental health challenges such as mood disorders were chronic, and as such, they thought that any form of intervention could not control or remedy their illness. |
| format | research article |
| id | ir-11408-5579 |
| institution | My University |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ir-11408-55792023-05-03T07:24:31Z Knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in Gweru, Zimbabwe Sibusiso Khombo Kennedy Khombo Robert Shalom Stoddart Innocent Sifelani Theresi Sibanda Department of Applied Psychology, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe. Centre for Film and Media Studies, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Department of Applied Psychology, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe. Department of Psychology, Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Department of Psychology, Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences, Mutare, Zimbabwe. adolescents knowledge attitudes help seeking behavior mental health psychological distress students Introduction: The study sought to investigate and examine knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in the Gweru district. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, 15 students from three secondary schools in Gweru were purposively sampled for inclusion in this study. Data collection was through semi-structured interviews. The study utilized thematic data analysis and the following themes emerged from the study; ignorance, misinformation, indifference, lack of trust, gender differences, and alternative supports. Results: Generally, the research findings revealed that most secondary school students were aware of the existence of mental health services although they had distorted information on the same. Poor utilization of services was largely attributed to the consideration of “formal” mental health services as the last resort for remedy after the failure of “informal” services to yield positive results. Thus, mental health services were not on the priority list of intervention measures used by secondary students in light of mental health issues. The study recommends psycho-education sessions to promote the utilization of mental health services by secondary school students. Discussion: Notably, the current study revealed that participants lacked correct information about MHS and its related utility. Munson et al. (2009) concur by stating that some adolescents believed that their mental health challenges such as mood disorders were chronic, and as such, they thought that any form of intervention could not control or remedy their illness. 14 1 7 2023-05-03T07:24:30Z 2023-05-03T07:24:30Z 2023-02-01 research article https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5579 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1002948 en Frontiers in Psychology 1664-1078 open Frontiers Media |
| spellingShingle | adolescents knowledge attitudes help seeking behavior mental health psychological distress students Sibusiso Khombo Kennedy Khombo Robert Shalom Stoddart Innocent Sifelani Theresi Sibanda Knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in Gweru, Zimbabwe |
| title | Knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in Gweru, Zimbabwe |
| title_full | Knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in Gweru, Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in Gweru, Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in Gweru, Zimbabwe |
| title_short | Knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in Gweru, Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | knowledge, attitudes, and uptake of mental health services by secondary school students in gweru, zimbabwe |
| topic | adolescents knowledge attitudes help seeking behavior mental health psychological distress students |
| url | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5579 |
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