Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPS) are critical to individual and community well-being, yet stigma and limited mental health literacy continue to impede help-seeking in many low- and middle-income contexts, including the Philippines. Within Filipino households, mothers function as primary caregivers and primary decision-makers regarding health, positioning them as “gatekeepers” to formal mental health services. This study examined the perceived awareness and attitudes toward mental health and psychosocial support among 134 Filipino mothers in a community in Pampanga, Philippines. Using a correlational–comparative design and a researcher-validated instrument (Cronbach’s α = .839), the study assessed levels of MHPS awareness and attitudes, the relationship between these variables, and demographic differences across age, educational attainment, and employment status. Results indicated high perceived awareness (M = 28.10, SD = 2.14) and generally positive attitudes toward MHPS (M = 145.00, SD = 16.80). Pearson correlation revealed a significant but weak positive association between awareness and attitudes (r = .32, p < .001), explaining approximately 10% of the variance. One-way ANOVA showed no significant differences in awareness or attitudes across demographic groups. These findings suggest that maternal perspectives are shaped less by individual socioeconomic characteristics than by shared sociocultural contexts. The weak awareness–attitude link further implies that informational campaigns alone may be insufficient to overcome entrenched stigma. A community-based MHPS framework is therefore proposed, emphasizing barangay-level integration and peer-led “Nanay Wellness Circles” to normalize mental health discourse and help-seeking within Filipino communities.
Cantilero et al. (Mon,) studied this question.