Research suggests mental health literacy (MHL) is related to mental health, including increased flourishing and less psychopathology. Nonetheless, the mechanisms through which MHL is conducive of mental health are not clear. To our knowledge, no study has examined the role of self-compassion and hope in the relationship between MHL and mental health, though some evidence suggests they might relate to both MHL and mental health. Also, studies on MHL and its impact on mental health/illness mainly focus on mental illness literacy, and less on positive MHL. The current cross-sectional study sought to explore whether self-compassion and hope mediate the relationship between MHL and mental health. Participants from the general adult population (N = 181) responded to an online survey assessing: positive mental health literacy (PosMHLit), mental illness literacy (MHLq), mental well-being (MHC-SF), psychological distress (BSI), self-compassion (SCS), and hope (HS). Four models analyzed whether positive MHL and literacy about mental illness predicts positive mental health and mental illness through self-compassion and hope. In the four models tested, MHL (both positive MHL and MHL about mental illness) is a stronger predictor of positive mental health than of psychological distress, and these relationships occur indirectly through self-compassion and hope. Although hope does not mediate the relation of MHL and mental health independently, it adds to the effect of self-compassion in this mediation. Interventions targeting MHL may benefit from investing in self-compassion training and positive mental health promotion as MHL appears to be more effective predictor of positive mental health.
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