Validation of the Italian version of the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS)

Background and objectives: Mental health literacy (MHL) supports early recognition and management of mental disorders. The Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) is the only validated tool covering all MHL domains. This study translated and validated the MHLS in Italian and evaluated its psychometric properties in a non-clinical adult sample. Methods Following international guidelines, the MHLS was translated and administered to 354 Italian-speaking adults. A subsample of 84 repeated the test twice at one-week interval. Participants also completed the HLS-EU-Q16 and DASS-21. Internal consistency, test–retest reliability, concurrent validity and exploratory factor analysis were performed. Results The Italian MHLS showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.821) and test–retest reliability (r = 0.73; p < 0.001). Scores were higher in women and in individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis, and correlated weakly with general health literacy and perceived stress. No associations emerged with anxiety or depression. Factor analysis suggested a four-factor structure explaining 42.1% of the variance, reflecting attitudes toward mental illness, symptom recognition, help-seeking and information-seeking. Conclusion The Italian MHLS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing MHL in adults. It can be used in research and prevention to clarify public knowledge and attitudes toward mental health.