Journal of Counselling and Family Therapy

Changes in Mental Health Knowledge and Help-Seeking Attitudes Following Video-Assisted Education Among First-Year B.Sc. Nursing Students: A Pre-Experimental Study

2026-10-08T09:11:27+00:00

Background: Mental health literacy can influence how young adults recognize psychological difficulties, interpret mental health information, and decide whether to seek assistance. Nursing students warrant particular attention because they are simultaneously learners, future health professionals, and potential sources of support for patients.

Objective: To examine changes in mental health knowledge and attitudes toward help-seeking after a video-assisted educational session among first-year B.Sc. Nursing students.

Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pre-test–post-test study was undertaken with 100 first-year B.Sc. Nursing students at Sharda School of Nursing Science and Research, Sharda University, Greater Noida. Participants completed a structured demographic form, a 20-item mental health knowledge questionnaire, and a 9-item seven-point semantic differential scale for help-seeking attitude. The instruments underwent expert review, and the reported reliability coefficient was 0.87. A 15-minute Hinglish educational video, followed by 15 minutes of discussion, addressed mental health concepts, common problems, warning signs, misconceptions, stigma, available professional support, and appropriate help-seeking. The same measures were repeated seven days later. Descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and Pearson chi-square tests were used.

Results: Mean knowledge increased from 17.23 ± 3.79 before the session to 17.91 ± 2.73 after it, a mean difference of 0.68 points; this change was not statistically significant (t = 1.55, df = 99, p = 0.124). Mean help-seeking attitude increased from 47.01 ± 12.02 to 49.08 ± 9.52, a 2.07-point increase that was also not statistically significant (t = 1.79, df = 99, p = 0.077). Post-test knowledge was associated with family type (χ² = 20.070, df = 6, p = 0.003) and monthly family income (χ² = 14.336, df = 6, p = 0.026). No examined demographic factor was significantly related to post-test help-seeking attitude.

Conclusion: The intervention was accompanied by small improvements in both measured outcomes, but the available pre-test–post-test evidence was insufficient to demonstrate a statistically significant effect. A controlled design with repeated sessions and longer follow-up would provide a stronger test of whether video-based education can produce durable changes in mental health literacy and help-seeking attitudes.

A Descriptive Investigation of the Relationship Between Experiences of Body Shaming and Self-Esteem Among Adolescent Girls in Selected Schools

2026-10-17T10:25:50+00:00

Background: There was not much variation observed in the total reports according to gender, similar to findings by Lind et al. However, most of the victims reported infrequent victimization. It was also seen that a larger circle of close friends offered a protective factor against body shaming. Similar findings show that early engagement in seeking and maintaining peer friendships in the campus environment is protective against the depressing effects of body shaming variables.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of body shaming experiences on the self-esteem of adolescent girls studying in selected schools. To determine the association between body shaming experiences and self-esteem among adolescent girls in relation to selected demographic characteristics.

Materials and Method: A quantitative non-experimental descriptive research approach was adopted, and data were collected from 135 adolescent girls using a semi-structured questionnaire for demographic variables, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a Body Shaming Scale. The tool assessed demographic details, self-esteem levels, and experiences of body shaming.

Results: Findings revealed that 81.5% of participants had low self-esteem, 18.5% had moderate self -esteem, and none had high self-esteem. In relation to body shaming, 81.5% experienced a moderate level, 13.3% a low level, and 5.2% a high level of body shaming. The mean self-esteem score was 17.37 ± 2.766, while the mean body shaming score was 39.47 ± 7.549.

Conclusion: Discussed the findings of the study titled “A Descriptive Investigation of the Relationship Between Experiences of Body Shaming and Self-Esteem Among Adolescent Girls in Selected Schools.”

Prevalence of Alexithymia and Its Association with Interpersonal Relationships Among Undergraduate Students in Himachal Pradesh

2026-09-11T11:09:39+00:00

Background: Alexithymia is characterized by difficulty identifying, understanding, and expressing emotions and may adversely affect communication and interpersonal functioning. Undergraduate students are particularly vulnerable to emotional and psychosocial challenges during this developmental period. However, limited evidence is available regarding the prevalence of alexithymia and its relationship with interpersonal functioning among undergraduate students in Himachal Pradesh.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of alexithymia and to determine the association of alexithymia among undergraduate students of Himachal Pradesh with selected socio-demographic variables.

Methods: A quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 undergraduate students of Himachal Pradesh, selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and an interpersonal relationship scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

Results: Among the 200 participants, 91 (45.5%) demonstrated alexithymia, 67 (33.5%) had possible alexithymia, and 42 (21.0%) had no alexithymia. Regarding interpersonal relationships, 115 (57.5%) participants were dissatisfied, whereas 85 (42.5%) were satisfied. A statistically significant weak negative correlation was observed between alexithymia and interpersonal relationship scores (r = −0.287, p < 0.001), indicating that higher alexithymia was associated with poorer interpersonal relationships. Among the selected socio-demographic variables, religion showed a statistically significant association with the association between alexithymia and interpersonal relationships (χ² = 13.95, df = 6, p = 0.030).

Conclusion: Alexithymia was prevalent among the undergraduate students studied and was significantly associated with poorer interpersonal relationships. Early identification, emotional-awareness training, counselling, and mental health promotion programmes should be incorporated into educational settings to strengthen emotional functioning and interpersonal well-being.