Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-15-2023
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Timothy Yenter
Second Advisor
John Young
Third Advisor
Ashley Jones-Bodie
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Recent years have shown a worsening mental health crisis in America. Between the high prevalence of mental illness, lack of treatment, high rates of suicide and overdoses, and increasing rates of substance use, the United States has an abundance of problems, all of which relate to mental health. One contributing factor is the insufficient education about mental health topics, also known as mental health literacy. Therefore, American citizens lack necessary knowledge, such as the signs and risk factors of mental illness, treatment options, and ways to improve mental health, to name a few. One impact of low mental health literacy is a stigma regarding mental illness, which prevents help-seeking behaviors and treatment engagement. Without treatment, conditions may remain or worsen over time. Various interventions focus on the stigma surrounding mental health, which are especially necessary among young people, or the age groups with the worst mental health. This paper aims to review relevant knowledge on mental health topics and examine stigma intervention approaches targeting young people. The final chapter will emphasize youth involvement in mental health advocacy and review a young advocate’s experiences as a public speaker.
Recommended Citation
Bush, Alexandra Isabella, "Sharing My Story Through Public Speaking: Young People and Mental Health" (2023). Honors Theses. 2989.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2989
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