TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2017//
TI  - The association of school climate, depression literacy, and mental health stigma among high school students
JO  - Journal of school health
A1  - Townsend, Lisa
A1  - Musci, Rashelle
A1  - Stuart, Elizabeth
A1  - Ruble, Anne
A1  - Beaudry, Mary B.
A1  - Schweizer, Barbara
A1  - Owen, Megan
A1  - Goode, Carly
A1  - Johnson, Sarah L.
A1  - Bradshaw, Catherine
A1  - Wilcox, Holly
A1  - Swartz, Karen
SP  - 567
EP  - 574
VL  - 87
IS  - 8
N2  - BACKGROUND: Although school climate is linked with youth educational, socioemotional, behavioral, and health outcomes, there has been limited research on the association between school climate and mental health education efforts. We explored whether school climate was associated with students' depression literacy and mental health stigma beliefs. <br><br>METHODS: Data were combined from 2 studies: the Maryland Safe Supportive Schools Project and a randomized controlled trial of the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program. Five high schools participated in both studies, allowing examination of depression literacy and stigma measures from 500 9th and 10th graders. Multilevel models examined the relationship between school-level school climate characteristics and student-level depression literacy and mental health stigma scores. <br><br>RESULTS: Overall school climate was positively associated with depression literacy (odds ratio [OR] = 2.78, p < .001) and negatively associated with stigma (Est. = -3.822, p = .001). Subscales of engagement (OR = 5.30, p < .001) and environment were positively associated with depression literacy (OR = 2.01, p < .001) and negatively associated with stigma (Est. = -6.610, p < .001), (Est. = -2.742, p < .001). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Positive school climate was associated with greater odds of depression literacy and endorsement of fewer stigmatizing beliefs among students. Our findings raise awareness regarding aspects of the school environment that may facilitate or inhibit students' recognition of depression and subsequent treatment-seeking.<br><br>© 2017, American School Health Association.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0022-4391
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/josh.12527
ID  - ref1
ER  -