Mental health literacy and mental well-being among senior high school students in Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand

Senior high school students aged 15–19 are adolescents in the transitional phase from childhood to independent adulthood, during which stress can quickly arise. Developing Mental Health Literacy (MHL) can play a crucial role in preventing severe mental illnesses. This study aimed to explore the MHL and mental well-being of senior high school students in Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand. This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 510 senior high school students in Samut Songkhram, Thailand, using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the MHL and mental well-being questionnaire. The Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression were used for analysis at a significance level of 0.05. This study included 510 senior high school students, the majority of whom were female (57.8%), aged 16 years (30.6%), and in Grade 11 (37.6%). Most students were enrolled in the Science and Mathematics program (57.5%). Regarding academic performance, most of them had grades of 3.01 or higher (53.5%). Most students’ families had incomes between 10,001 and 30,000 THB (49.6%). MHL was at a moderate level, while mental well-being levels were low. A positive relationship was observed between overall MHL scores and mental well-being scores (r = 0.103, p = 0.034). After adjusting for the study program, the overall MHL score was found to be significantly associated with mental well-being scores (Beta = 0.118). However, the overall MHL score showed a significant negative association with mental well-being scores (Beta = -0.137) when adjusted for the school-record program. The study revealed that senior high school students exhibited a moderate level of MHL and a low level of mental well-being. Therefore, extracurricular activities should be implemented to enhance MHL and improve the mental well-being of senior high school students in the future, alongside developing comprehensive strategies to address and prevent mental health issues faced by this group.