mental health literature review topics

Research Topics Ideas: Mental Health

100+ Mental Health Research Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

I If you’re just starting out exploring mental health topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research topic ideation process by providing a hearty list of mental health-related research topics and ideas.

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . To develop a suitable education-related research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Mental Health Topic Ideas

Mood disorders
Anxiety disorders
Psychotic disorders
Personality disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Neurodevelopmental disorders
Eating disorders
Substance-related disorders

Mood Disorders

Research in mood disorders can help understand their causes and improve treatment methods. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

The impact of genetics on the susceptibility to depression
Efficacy of antidepressants vs. cognitive behavioural therapy
The role of gut microbiota in mood regulation
Cultural variations in the experience and diagnosis of bipolar disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder: Environmental factors and treatment
The link between depression and chronic illnesses
Exercise as an adjunct treatment for mood disorders
Hormonal changes and mood swings in postpartum women
Stigma around mood disorders in the workplace
Suicidal tendencies among patients with severe mood disorders

Anxiety Disorders

Research topics in this category can potentially explore the triggers, coping mechanisms, or treatment efficacy for anxiety disorders.

The relationship between social media and anxiety
Exposure therapy effectiveness in treating phobias
Generalised Anxiety Disorder in children: Early signs and interventions
The role of mindfulness in treating anxiety
Genetics and heritability of anxiety disorders
The link between anxiety disorders and heart disease
Anxiety prevalence in LGBTQ+ communities
Caffeine consumption and its impact on anxiety levels
The economic cost of untreated anxiety disorders
Virtual Reality as a treatment method for anxiety disorders

Psychotic Disorders

Within this space, your research topic could potentially aim to investigate the underlying factors and treatment possibilities for psychotic disorders.

Early signs and interventions in adolescent psychosis
Brain imaging techniques for diagnosing psychotic disorders
The efficacy of antipsychotic medication
The role of family history in psychotic disorders
Misdiagnosis and delayed treatment of psychotic disorders
Co-morbidity of psychotic and mood disorders
The relationship between substance abuse and psychotic disorders
Art therapy as a treatment for schizophrenia
Public perception and stigma around psychotic disorders
Hospital vs. community-based care for psychotic disorders

Personality Disorders

Research topics within in this area could delve into the identification, management, and social implications of personality disorders.

Long-term outcomes of borderline personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder and criminal behaviour
The role of early life experiences in developing personality disorders
Narcissistic personality disorder in corporate leaders
Gender differences in personality disorders
Diagnosis challenges for Cluster A personality disorders
Emotional intelligence and its role in treating personality disorders
Psychotherapy methods for treating personality disorders
Personality disorders in the elderly population
Stigma and misconceptions about personality disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Within this space, research topics could focus on the causes, symptoms, or treatment of disorders like OCD and hoarding.

OCD and its relationship with anxiety disorders
Cognitive mechanisms behind hoarding behaviour
Deep Brain Stimulation as a treatment for severe OCD
The impact of OCD on academic performance in students
Role of family and social networks in treating OCD
Alternative treatments for hoarding disorder
Childhood onset OCD: Diagnosis and treatment
OCD and religious obsessions
The impact of OCD on family dynamics
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Causes and treatment

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Research topics in this area could explore the triggers, symptoms, and treatments for PTSD. Here are some thought starters to get you moving.

PTSD in military veterans: Coping mechanisms and treatment
Childhood trauma and adult onset PTSD
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) efficacy
Role of emotional support animals in treating PTSD
Gender differences in PTSD occurrence and treatment
Effectiveness of group therapy for PTSD patients
PTSD and substance abuse: A dual diagnosis
First responders and rates of PTSD
Domestic violence as a cause of PTSD
The neurobiology of PTSD

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

This category of mental health aims to better understand disorders like Autism and ADHD and their impact on day-to-day life.

Early diagnosis and interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder
ADHD medication and its impact on academic performance
Parental coping strategies for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
Autism and gender: Diagnosis disparities
The role of diet in managing ADHD symptoms
Neurodevelopmental disorders in the criminal justice system
Genetic factors influencing Autism
ADHD and its relationship with sleep disorders
Educational adaptations for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders and stigma in schools

Eating Disorders

Research topics within this space can explore the psychological, social, and biological aspects of eating disorders.

The role of social media in promoting eating disorders
Family dynamics and their impact on anorexia
Biological basis of binge-eating disorder
Treatment outcomes for bulimia nervosa
Eating disorders in athletes
Media portrayal of body image and its impact
Eating disorders and gender: Are men underdiagnosed?
Cultural variations in eating disorders
The relationship between obesity and eating disorders
Eating disorders in the LGBTQ+ community

Substance-Related Disorders

Research topics in this category can focus on addiction mechanisms, treatment options, and social implications.

Efficacy of rehabilitation centres for alcohol addiction
The role of genetics in substance abuse
Substance abuse and its impact on family dynamics
Prescription drug abuse among the elderly
Legalisation of marijuana and its impact on substance abuse rates
Alcoholism and its relationship with liver diseases
Opioid crisis: Causes and solutions
Substance abuse education in schools: Is it effective?
Harm reduction strategies for drug abuse
Co-occurring mental health disorders in substance abusers

Choosing A Research Topic

These research topic ideas we’ve covered here serve as thought starters to help you explore different areas within mental health. They are intentionally very broad and open-ended. By engaging with the currently literature in your field of interest, you’ll be able to narrow down your focus to a specific research gap .

It’s important to consider a variety of factors when choosing a topic for your dissertation or thesis . Think about the relevance of the topic, its feasibility , and the resources available to you, including time, data, and academic guidance. Also, consider your own interest and expertise in the subject, as this will sustain you through the research process.

Find The Perfect Research Topic

How To Choose A Research Topic: 5 Key Criteria

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Good morning everyone. This are very patent topics for research in neuroscience. Thank you for guidance

What if everything is important, original and intresting? as in Neuroscience. I find myself overwhelmd with tens of relveant areas and within each area many optional topics. I ask myself if importance (for example – able to treat people suffering) is more relevant than what intrest me, and on the other hand if what advance me further in my career should not also be a consideration?

This information is really helpful and have learnt alot

Phd research topics on implementation of mental health policy in Nigeria :the prospects, challenges and way forward.

This info is indeed help for someone to formulate a dissertation topic. I have already got my path from here.

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Mental Health Dissertation Topics & Titles

Published by Carmen Troy at January 9th, 2023 , Revised On June 10, 2024

You probably found your way here looking for mental health topics for your final year research project. Look no further, we have drafted a list of issues, and their research aims to help you when you are brainstorming for dissertation or thesis topics on mental health.

PhD-qualified writers of our team have developed these topics, so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting a brief research proposal or full dissertation service from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an introduction to the topic, research question , aim and objectives, literature review , and the proposed research methodology to be conducted. Let us know if you need any help in getting started.

Check our dissertation examples to understand how to structure your dissertation .

Also read: Psychology dissertation topics & nursing dissertation topics

List Of Trending Mental Health Research Topics & Ideas

The Impact of Social Media on Body Image and Self Esteem in Youngsters.
How Does Loneliness Link to Depression in People Above the Age of 70
The Effects of Israeli-Palestinian Conflicts on the Mental Health of Children in Gaza
The Impact of Posting Pictures From War on the Mental Health of Viewers
The Effectiveness of Excercise Programs in Managing Symptoms of Depression
Role of Cultural Competency in Providing Effective Mental Healthcare for Diverse Populations
The Impact of Social Stigma on Help-Seeking Behaviours for Mental Health Concerns
The Effectiveness of Art Therapy Interventions in Managing Symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd)
How Group Therapy Interventions Impacts Promoting Social Connection and Reducing Loneliness
Animal-Assisted Therapy Interventions in Reducing Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression
Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy in Treating Eating Disorders

Latest Mental Health Dissertation Topics

Review the step-by-step guide on how to write your dissertation here .

Topic 1: An assessment of the Influence of Parents' Divorce or Separation on Adolescent Children in terms of long-term psychological impact.

Research Aim: This study aims to investigate the level of traumas experienced by the children of divorced or separated parents. The principal aim of this study is to explore the long-term psychological impacts of parents’ divorce on the life of children regardless of their gender and age in terms of mental wellbeing, academic performance, and self-worth.

Topic 2: An investigation of the impact of Trauma and Health-related quality of life on the Mental health and Self-worth of a child.

Research Aim: This study aims to assess the long-term impacts of the trauma children face in their early years of life on their overall mental health. Also, numerous studies have emphasised improving the quality of life for children who tend to experience multiple traumas and take them along in adulthood. Therefore, this study also proposed the impacts of traumatic childhood experiences on self-worth, mental health, and vitality of implementing firm intervention before the child reaches adulthood.

Topic 3: Assessing the effect of Psychological training on males suffering from Post-Surgery Anxiety in the UK.

Research Aim: Postoperative problems may occur as a result of surgical stress. This study aims to examine different approaches to control post-surgical anxiety and improve patients’ lives in the short and long term, focusing on male patients in the UK. It will also give us an understanding of how psychological training and interventions affect anxiety in male patients and help them overcome this through a systematic review.

Topic 4: Investigating the Relationship between Mental illness and Suicides- A case study of UK's Young Adults.

Research Aim: This study aims to find the relationship between mental illness and suicides and risk factors in the UK. This study will specifically focus on young adults. It will examine different mental disorders and how they have led to suicide and will analyse further studies of people who have died by suicide and find evidence of the presence or absence of mental illness.

Topic 5: Examining the behaviour of Mental Health Nurses taking care of Schizophrenia Patients in the UK.

Research Aim: Negative behaviours and discrimination have been usually reported as a reason for the inconvenience in the treatment of mentally ill or schizophrenia patients, which negatively impacts the patient’s results. Healthcare professionals’ attitudes have been regarded as being more negative than the general public, which lowers the outlook for patients suffering from mental illness. This study will examine the behaviour of mental health nurses regarding schizophrenia patients in the UK and also focus on the characteristics associated with nurses’ attitudes.

COVID-19 Mental Health Research Topics

Topic1: impacts of the coronavirus on the mental health of various age groups.

Research Aim: This study will reveal the impacts of coronavirus on the mental health of various age groups

Topic 2: Mental health and psychological resilience during COVID-19

Research Aim: Social distancing has made people isolated and affected their mental health. This study will highlight various measures to overcome the stress and mental health of people during coronavirus.

Topic 3: The mental health of children and families during COVID-19

Research Aim: This study will address the challenging situations faced by children and families during lockdown due to COVID-19. It will also discuss various ways to overcome the fear of disease and stay positive.

Topic 4: Mental wellbeing of patients during the Coronavirus pandemic

Research Aim: This study will focus on the measures taken by the hospital management, government, and families to ensure patients’ mental well-being, especially COVID-19 patients.

Best Mental Health Topics for Your Dissertation

Topic 1: kids and their relatives with cancer: psychological challenges.

Research Aim: In cancer diagnoses and therapies, children often don’t know what happens. Many have psychosocial problems, including rage, terror, depression, disturbing sleep, inexpiable guilt, and panic. Therefore, this study is designed to identify and treat the child and its family members’ psychological issues.

Topic 2: Hematopoietic device reaction in ophthalmology patient’s radiation therapy

Research Aim: This research is based on the analysis of hematopoietic devices’ reactions to ophthalmology radiation.

Topic 3: Psychological effects of cyberbullying Vs. physical bullying: A counter study

Research Aim: This research will focus on the effects of cyberbullying and physical bullying and their consequences on the victim’s mental health. The most significant part is the counter effects on our society’s environment and human behaviour, particularly youth.

Topic 4: Whether or not predictive processing is a theory of perceptual consciousness?

Research Aim: This research aims to identify whether or not predictive processing is a theory of perceptual consciousness.

Topic 5: Importance of communication in a relationship

Research Aim: This research aims to address the importance of communication in relationships and the communication gap consequences.

Topic 6: Eating and personality disorders

Research Aim: This research aims to focus on eating and personality disorders

Topic 7: Analysis of teaching, assessment, and evaluation of students and learning differences

Research Aim: This research aims to analyse teaching methods, assessment, and evaluation systems of students and their learning differences

Topic 8: Social and psychological effects of virtual networks

Research Aim: This research aims to study the social and psychological effects of virtual networks

Topic 9: The role of media in provoking aggression

Research Aim: This research aims to address the role of media in provoking aggression among people

Mental Health Topics for Your Dissertation For Research

Topic 1: what is the impact of social media platforms on the mental wellbeing of adults.

Research Aim: the current study aims to investigate the impact social media platforms tend to have on adults’ mental well-being with a particular focus on the United Kingdom. While many studies have been carried out to gauge the impact of social media platforms on teenagers’ mental well-being, little to no research has been performed to investigate how the health of adults might be affected by the same and how social media platforms like Facebook impact them.

Topic 2: The contemporary practical management approach to treating personality disorders

Research Aim: This research will discuss the contemporary practical management approach for treating personality disorders in mental health patients. In the previous days, much of the personality disorder treatments were based on medicines and drugs. Therefore, this research will address contemporary and practical ways to manage how personality disorders affect the mental state of the individuals who have the disease.

Topic 3: How is Prozac being used in the modern-day to treat self-diagnosed depression?

Research Aim: In the current day and age, besides people suffering from clinical depression, many teens and adults have started to suffer from self-diagnosed depression. To treat their self-diagnosed depression, individuals take Prozac through all the wrong means, which harms their mental state even more. Therefore, the current study aims to shed light on how Prozac is being used in the modern age and the adverse effects of misinformed use on patients.

Topic 4: Are women more prone to suffer from mental disorders than men: A Comparative analysis

Research Aim: There have been several arguments regarding whether women are more likely to suffer from mental disorders than men. Much of the research carried out provides evidence that women are more prone to suffer from mental disorders. This research study aims to conduct a comparative analysis to determine whether it’s more likely for men or women to suffer from mental disorders and what role biological and societal factors play in determining the trend.

Topic 5: The impact of breakups on the mental health of men?

Research Aim: Several studies have been carried out to discuss how women are affected more by a breakup than men. However, little research material is available in support of the impact the end of a relationship can have on men’s mental health. Therefore, this research study will fill out the gap in research to determine the impact of a breakup on men’s mental health and stability.

Topic 6: A theoretical analysis of the Impact of emotional attachment on mental health?

Research Aim: This research aims to analyse the theories developed around emotional attachment to address how emotional attachment can harm individuals’ mental health across the globe. Several theories discuss the role that emotional attachment tends to play in the mind of a healthy being, and how emotional attachment can often negatively affect mental well-being.

Topic 7: How do social media friendships contribute to poor mental health?

Research Aim: This research idea aims to address how social media friendships and networking can often lead to a lack of self-acceptance, self-loathing, self-pity, self-comparison, and depression due to the different mindsets that are present in today’s world.

Topic 8: What role do parents play in ensuring the mental well-being of their children?

Research Aim: It is assumed that parents tend to stop playing a role in ensuring that the mental health and well-being of their children are being maintained after a certain age. Therefore, this study will aim to put forward the idea that even after the children pass the age of 18, activities and their relationship with their parents will always play a role in the way their mental health is being transformed.

Topic 9: A study on the mental health of soldiers returning from Iraq?

Research Aim: This topic idea puts forward the aim that the mental health of soldiers who return from war-struck areas is always a subject of interest, as each of the soldiers carries a mental burden. Therefore, it is vital to understand the soldiers’ mental health returning from Iraq, focusing on what causes their mental health to deteriorate during the war and suggestions of what to do or who to call if they do become unwell.

Topic 10: How the contemporary media practices in the UK are leading to mental health problems?

Research Aim: The media is known to have control and influence over people’s mindsets who are connected to it. Many of the contemporary media practices developed in the UK can negatively impact the mental well-being of individuals, which makes it necessary to analyse how they are contributing to the mental health problems among the UK population.

Topic 11: What is the impact of television advertising on the mental development of children in the UK?

Research Aim: This topic aims to address how television advertising can negatively impact children’s mental development in the United Kingdom, as it has been observed in many studies that television advertising is detrimental to the mental health of children.

Topic 12: How deteriorating mental health can have an Impact on physical health?

Research Aim: This research aims to address the side-effects of deteriorating mental health on the physical health of individuals in society, as it is believed that the majority of the physical ailments in the modern-day age are due to the deteriorating mental health of individuals. The study can address the treatments for many ailments in our society due to deteriorating mental health and well-being.

Topic 13: The relationship between unemployment and mental health

Research Aim: How unemployment relates to concepts, such as a declining economy or lack of social skills and education, has been frequently explored by many researchers in the past. However, not many have discussed the relationship between unemployment and the mental health of unemployed individuals. Therefore, this topic will help address the problems faced by individuals due to unemployment because of the mental blocks they are likely to develop and experience. In the future, it will lead to fewer people being depressed due to unemployment when further research is carried out.

Topic 14: The mental health problems of prisoners in the United Kingdom

Research Aim: While prisoners across the globe are criticised and studied for the negativity that goes on in their mindsets, one would rarely research the mental health problems they tend to develop when they become prisoners for committing any crime. It is often assumed that it is the life inside the prison walls that impacts the prisoners’ mental health in a way that leads to them committing more crimes. Therefore, this research topic has been developed to study prison’s impact on prisoners’ mental well-being in the United Kingdom to eventually decrease the number of crimes that occur due to the negative environment inside the prisons.

Topic 15: Mental well-being of industry workers in China

Research Aim: While many research studies have been carried out regarding the conditions that the workers in China tend to be exposed to, there is very little supporting evidence regarding the impact such working conditions have on the mindset and mental health of the workers. Therefore, this study aims to address the challenges faced by industry workers in China and the impact that such challenges can have on their mental well-being.

Topic 16: Is the provision of mental health care services in the United Kingdom effective?

Research Aim: Many people have made different assumptions regarding the mental health care services provided across the globe. However, it seems that little to no research has been carried out regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of the provision of mental health care services in the United Kingdom. Therefore, this study aims to put forward research into the mental health care services provided in well-developed countries like the United Kingdom to gauge the awareness and importance of mental health in the region.

Topic 17: What are the mental health problems that minorities in the United Kingdom face?

Research Aim: It is believed that minorities in the United Kingdom are likely to experience physical abuse, and societal abuse and are often exposed to discrimination and unfair acts at the workplace and in their social circle. The study investigates the range of mental problems faced by minorities in the UK, which need to be addressed to have equality, diversity, and harmony.

Topic 18: The impact the Coronavirus has had on the mental health of the Chinese people

Research Aim: The spread of the deadly Coronavirus has led to many deaths in the region of China, and many of those who have been suspected of the virus are being put in isolation and quarantine. Such conditions tend to hurt the mental health of those who have suffered from the disease and those who have watched people suffer from it. Therefore, the current study aims to address how the Coronavirus has impacted the mental health of the Chinese people.

Topic 19: How to create change in mental health organisations in China?

Research Aim: Research suggests little awareness about mental health in many Asian countries. As mental health problems are on the rise across the globe, it is necessary to change mental health organisations. Therefore, the study aims to discuss how to create change in mental health organisations in the Asian region using China’s example.

Topic 20: Addressing the mental health concerns of the Syrian refugees in the UK

Research Aim: This research project would address the concerns in terms of the refugees’ mental health and well-being, using an example of the Syrian refugees who had been allowed entry into the United Kingdom. This idea aims to put forward the negative effects that migration can have on refugees and how further research is required to combat such issues not just in the United Kingdom but worldwide.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service!

Important Notes:

As a mental health student looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment on existing mental health theories – i.e., to add value and interest in the topic of your research.

Mental health is vast and interrelated to so many other academic disciplines like civil engineering , construction , project management , engineering management , healthcare , finance and accounting , artificial intelligence , tourism , physiotherapy , sociology , management , project management , and nursing . That is why it is imperative to create a project management dissertation topic that is articular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic based on your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, and there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in writing your dissertation as you may end up in a cycle of rejection at the initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best mental health dissertation topics that fulfill your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalising your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Please look at some of our sample mental health dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure Your Mental Health Dissertation

A well-structured dissertation can help students to achieve a high overall academic grade.

A Title Page
Acknowledgements
Declaration
Abstract: A summary of the research completed
Table of Contents
Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
Literature Review : This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature available on the chosen research topic to address research questions . The purpose is to highlight and discuss the selected research area’s relative weaknesses and strengths whilst identifying any research gaps. Break down the topic, and key terms that can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
Methodology : The data collection and analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter which usually includes research design , research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and data analysis strategy .
Findings and Analysis : Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include graphs, charts, and tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
Discussion and Conclusion : The researcher presents his interpretation of results in this chapter and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section of the paper is to draw a linkage between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regard to the implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
References : This should be completed following your University’s requirements
Bibliography
Appendices : Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to complete the dissertation but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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How to find mental health dissertation topics.

To find mental health dissertation topics:

Research recent mental health issues.
Examine gaps in existing literature.
Consider diverse populations or perspectives.
Explore treatment approaches or therapies.
Look into stigma and societal factors.
Select a topic that resonates with you for in-depth study.

300+ Mental Health Research Topics

Mental health is a complex and multi-faceted topic that affects millions of people worldwide. Research into mental health has become increasingly important in recent years, as the global burden of mental illness continues to rise. From identifying risk factors and developing effective treatments, to addressing social and cultural influences, mental health research covers a broad range of topics . In this blog post, we will explore some of the most important and fascinating mental health research topics that are currently being studied by experts in the field.

Mental Health Research Topics

Mental Health Research Topics are as follows:

The impact of social media on mental health
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for reducing stress and anxiety
The relationship between childhood trauma and adult mental health outcomes
The role of exercise in promoting mental health and well-being
The impact of COVID-19 on mental health and well-being
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for treating depression and anxiety
The impact of sleep deprivation on mental health and cognitive functioning
The relationship between diet and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of virtual reality therapy for treating mental health disorders
The impact of workplace stress on mental health
The effectiveness of group therapy for treating mental health disorders
The relationship between substance abuse and mental health outcomes
The impact of stigma on mental health treatment-seeking behavior
The effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy for improving mental health
The impact of environmental factors on mental health outcomes
The relationship between chronic illness and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of art therapy for treating mental health disorders
The impact of cultural factors on mental health outcomes
The relationship between personality traits and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of music therapy for treating mental health disorders
The impact of trauma on memory and cognitive functioning
The relationship between socioeconomic status and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for treating mental health disorders
The impact of social support on mental health outcomes
The relationship between perfectionism and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of exposure therapy for treating anxiety disorders
The impact of early intervention on mental health outcomes
The relationship between attachment styles and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of narrative therapy for treating mental health disorders
The impact of technology on mental health outcomes
The relationship between resilience and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of family therapy for treating mental health disorders
The impact of gender on mental health outcomes
The relationship between creativity and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy for treating borderline personality disorder
The impact of personality disorders on mental health outcomes
The relationship between trauma and addiction
The effectiveness of cognitive remediation therapy for improving cognitive functioning in individuals with mental illness
The impact of discrimination on mental health outcomes
The relationship between emotional intelligence and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of play therapy for treating mental health disorders in children
The impact of attachment trauma on relationships in adulthood
The relationship between religious or spiritual beliefs and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy for treating mental health disorders
The impact of chronic pain on mental health outcomes
The relationship between self-esteem and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for treating trauma-related disorders
The impact of parenting style on mental health outcomes in children
The relationship between mindfulness and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy for improving mental health.
The relationship between childhood trauma and mental illness
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for treating anxiety disorders
The role of genetics in the development of mental illness
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for treating depression
The impact of exercise on mental health
The prevalence and causes of burnout among healthcare professionals
The effectiveness of group therapy for treating substance abuse disorders
The impact of sleep on mental health
The relationship between trauma and dissociation
The effectiveness of virtual reality therapy for treating phobias
The relationship between gut health and mental health
The impact of stigma on seeking mental health treatment
The relationship between spirituality and mental health
The impact of adverse childhood experiences on mental health
The relationship between attachment style and mental health
The effectiveness of art therapy for treating PTSD
The impact of chronic illness on mental health
The relationship between personality traits and mental illness
The effectiveness of narrative therapy for treating depression
The relationship between social support and mental health
The effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy for treating trauma
The impact of discrimination on mental health
The relationship between parental bonding and mental health
The effectiveness of family therapy for treating eating disorders
The impact of environmental factors on mental health
The relationship between hormonal changes and mental health
The effectiveness of equine therapy for treating addiction
The impact of trauma on attachment
The relationship between exercise addiction and mental health
The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for treating anxiety disorders
The impact of racism on mental health
The relationship between animal-assisted therapy and mental health
The effectiveness of exposure therapy for treating OCD
The impact of gender identity on mental health
The relationship between social anxiety and substance abuse
The effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy for treating relationship issues
The impact of social inequality on mental health
The relationship between spirituality and substance abuse
The effectiveness of schema therapy for treating personality disorders
The impact of peer support on mental health
The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy for treating depression
The impact of poverty on mental health
The relationship between sleep disorders and mental health
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for treating addiction
The impact of immigration on mental health
The relationship between self-esteem and mental health.
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating anxiety disorders
The relationship between childhood trauma and adult mental health
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for depression
The impact of exercise on mental health outcomes
The role of sleep disturbances in the development of psychiatric disorders
The effectiveness of pharmacological treatments for bipolar disorder
The relationship between alcohol use and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of psychotherapy in treating post-traumatic stress disorder
The impact of nutrition on mental health outcomes
The relationship between chronic pain and mental health
The effectiveness of group therapy in treating depression
The role of stigma in mental health treatment-seeking behaviors
The relationship between trauma exposure and suicidal behavior
The effectiveness of telehealth interventions for mental health care
The role of attachment styles in the development of mental illness
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for anxiety
The impact of work-related stress on mental health
The relationship between physical activity and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of cognitive remediation in treating schizophrenia
The role of family dynamics in the development of mental illness
The relationship between childhood adversity and substance use disorders
The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy in treating borderline personality
The effectiveness of psychoanalytic therapy in treating depression
The impact of peer support groups on mental health outcomes
The role of spirituality in coping with mental illness
The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in treating anxiety
The impact of trauma-informed care on mental health treatment outcomes
The relationship between body image and mental health
The effectiveness of art therapy in treating PTSD
The role of cognitive biases in the development of mental illness
The relationship between social isolation and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in treating phobias
The impact of stigma on mental health among LGBTQ+ individuals
The relationship between trauma and eating disorders
The effectiveness of emotion regulation interventions in treating borderline personality disorder
The role of attachment styles in the treatment of anxiety disorders
The relationship between childhood abuse and dissociative disorders
The effectiveness of family-based interventions in treating adolescent depression
The relationship between social inequality and mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for substance use disorders
The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating OCD
The relationship between emotional regulation and addiction recovery
The impact of trauma-focused therapy on PTSD symptoms in military veterans
The relationship between sleep disorders and mood disorders
The effectiveness of exercise interventions in treating depression
The role of trauma-informed care in treating substance use disorders
The relationship between trauma and personality disorders
The effectiveness of interpersonal therapy in treating depression
The impact of cultural factors on mental health treatment outcomes
The relationship between stigma and medication adherence in mental health treatment
The effectiveness of behavioral activation interventions in treating depression
The role of cognitive biases in addiction recovery
The relationship between social support and addiction recovery
The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in addiction recovery
The impact of comorbid medical conditions on mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain management
The role of coping strategies in the treatment of anxiety disorders
The relationship between anxiety and substance use disorders
The impact of COVID-19 on mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of narrative therapy in treating trauma
The role of social support in trauma recovery.
The relationship between trauma and depression
The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy in treating substance use disorders
The impact of adverse childhood experiences on mental health outcomes
The role of cultural competence in mental health treatment
The relationship between childhood obesity and mental health
The effectiveness of art therapy in treating anxiety disorders
The impact of mindfulness on workplace mental health
The effectiveness of group therapy in treating substance use disorders
The role of spirituality in addiction recovery
The relationship between personality disorders and addiction
The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in treating anxiety disorders
The impact of social support on PTSD treatment outcomes
The relationship between social anxiety and substance use disorders
The effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in treating PTSD
The role of resilience in mental health recovery
The relationship between addiction and trauma in veterans
The effectiveness of cognitive remediation in treating ADHD
The impact of parental mental illness on children’s mental health outcomes
The relationship between trauma and bipolar disorder
The effectiveness of narrative therapy in treating depression
The role of mindfulness in addiction recovery
The relationship between borderline personality disorder and substance use disorders
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating eating disorders
The impact of workplace bullying on mental health outcomes
The relationship between trauma and self-harm behaviors
The effectiveness of family therapy in treating addiction
The role of stigma in addiction recovery
The effectiveness of schema therapy in treating personality disorders
The impact of childhood neglect on mental health outcomes
The relationship between anxiety and chronic pain
The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in treating personality disorders
The role of self-compassion in mental health recovery
The relationship between trauma and dissociative disorders
The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in treating personality disorders
The impact of adverse work conditions on mental health outcomes
The relationship between addiction and sleep disorders
The effectiveness of exposure therapy in treating phobias
The role of emotional regulation in addiction recovery
The relationship between trauma and addiction in women
The impact of childhood bullying on mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating personality disorders
The role of resilience in addiction recovery
The relationship between ADHD and substance use disorders
The impact of social support on eating disorder treatment outcomes
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in treating personality disorders
The role of positive psychology in mental health recovery
The relationship between trauma and PTSD in children
The effectiveness of family-based interventions in treating substance use disorders
The relationship between social media use and body image concerns
The effectiveness of group therapy for substance use disorders
The role of resilience in coping with mental illness
The impact of trauma on attachment patterns in adulthood
The relationship between childhood neglect and depression
The role of emotional intelligence in mental health outcomes
The effectiveness of family therapy for eating disorders
The impact of mindfulness on emotion regulation in borderline personality disorder
The relationship between childhood ADHD and substance use disorders in adulthood
The role of social support in preventing suicide
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia
The impact of trauma on the development of borderline personality disorder
The relationship between childhood bullying and anxiety disorders in adulthood
The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy for eating disorders
The role of attachment styles in the treatment of personality disorders
The impact of family conflict on adolescent mental health
The relationship between childhood maltreatment and self-harm behaviors
The effectiveness of exposure therapy for PTSD
The role of social support in the treatment of depression
The impact of trauma on the development of dissociative identity disorder
The relationship between childhood abuse and addiction
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for ADHD
The role of cognitive biases in the development of OCD
The impact of perfectionism on mental health outcomes
The relationship between childhood trauma and schizophrenia
The effectiveness of cognitive remediation for executive functioning deficits in bipolar disorder
The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of hoarding disorder
The impact of societal expectations on mental health in minority groups
The relationship between childhood trauma and borderline personality disorder
The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic pain
The role of social support in the treatment of substance use disorders
The impact of trauma on attachment patterns in childhood
The relationship between childhood ADHD and depression in adulthood
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder
The role of emotional regulation in preventing self-harm behaviors
The impact of societal stigma on mental health treatment-seeking behaviors
The relationship between childhood trauma and eating disorders
The effectiveness of interpersonal therapy for depression
The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of panic disorder
The impact of trauma on the development of anxiety disorders
The relationship between childhood trauma and bipolar disorder
The effectiveness of exposure and response prevention for OCD
The role of cognitive biases in the treatment of PTSD
The impact of social support on mental health outcomes in LGBTQ+ individuals
The relationship between childhood trauma and social anxiety disorder
The effectiveness of psychoanalytic therapy for personality disorders
The role of emotional regulation in the treatment of anxiety disorders
The impact of childhood trauma on substance use disorders in adulthood
The relationship between childhood ADHD and anxiety disorders in adulthood
The relationship between social media use and body image dissatisfaction
The role of childhood attachment in the development of anxiety disorders
The relationship between social support and PTSD recovery
The effectiveness of psychotherapy for treating substance use disorders
The impact of trauma exposure on cognitive functioning
The relationship between sleep disorders and anxiety
The role of childhood adversity in the development of eating disorders
The effectiveness of virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety disorders
The impact of racial discrimination on mental health outcomes
The role of emotion dysregulation in the development of personality disorders
The effectiveness of family-based interventions in treating eating disorders
The impact of childhood trauma on self-esteem
The role of attachment styles in the treatment of PTSD
The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy for treating eating disorders
The impact of parental stress on child mental health outcomes
The relationship between childhood ADHD and substance use disorders
The role of resilience in the treatment of trauma
The effectiveness of motivational interviewing in treating substance use disorders
The impact of childhood trauma on physical health outcomes
The relationship between anxiety and perfectionism
The role of cultural factors in the development of eating disorders
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for trauma
The impact of peer victimization on mental health outcomes
The role of self-compassion in the treatment of depression
The effectiveness of exposure therapy for OCD
The impact of childhood trauma on social relationships
The relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis
The role of cognitive biases in the development of eating disorders
The effectiveness of transdiagnostic treatments for anxiety and depression
The impact of chronic illness on mental health outcomes
The role of self-esteem in the treatment of anxiety disorders
The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in treating trauma
The impact of maternal depression on child mental health outcomes
The relationship between trauma and dissociative symptoms
The role of attachment styles in the treatment of eating disorders
The effectiveness of cognitive remediation in treating eating disorders
The impact of adverse childhood experiences on the development of addiction
The relationship between anxiety and hoarding behavior
The role of cognitive biases in the development of substance use disorders
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for chronic pain management
The impact of childhood trauma on emotional regulation
The relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal behavior
The role of mindfulness in the treatment of depression
The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for substance use disorders.

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Mental health research topics are becoming increasingly important in our society today. With the rise of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is essential for students to understand the causes and effects of these conditions. Researching mental health can help us prevent and treat these illnesses before it's not too late.

That's why our paper writers curated this list compiling mental health research paper topics and ideas spanning various aspects. From psychological disorders to the role of society in mental health and therapeutic strategies, we covered 250 top mental health topics to write about. So, if you’re looking for help on starting your next mental health project, this list will provide you with the best ideas.

What Are Mental Health Research Topics?

Mental health research topics focus on understanding the causes, effects, and treatment of mental illnesses. It is important for students to explore these topics as they can help us understand how psychological disorders develop. This, in turn, allows us to optimize our treatment strategies. Researching mental health can also help us form healthier habits and lifestyles that promote positive mental health.

Characteristics of Good Mental Health Research Topics

How well you understand the theme characteristics can either make or break your research project. That's why, before you choose any mental health research topic, it is important to consider the features that make it good. Make sure your research topic about mental health meets the criteria listed below:

Relevant Give preference to topic ideas that are relevant to the current trends in society.
Interesting Find a topic you can approach from various angles while maintaining your engagement in research.
Feasible Ensure that the idea can be researched in a reasonable amount of time.
Original Try to pick between original mental health research questions and take a unique approach when investigating a certain aspect.
Accessible Make sure you have access to enough resources and data to complete your research.

How to Choose a Mental Health Research Topic?

Narrowing down your choices can be an intimidating process. To make it easier for you, we’ve rendered some secrets that will help you select the right research topic about mental health:

Brainstorm Try to come up with as many ideas as possible by writing them out on paper or creating a mind map.
Analyze your ideas Once you have a list of mental health project ideas, analyze each one and decide which ones are more appropriate for your research.
Explore further Certain topics may require extra research before settling on them. Make sure to look for relevant studies and determine whether you have enough time to run your research.
Seek consultation Sometimes you may just miss out something important. Discuss your ideas with your peers, professors, or online research paper writers to get constructive feedback.
Refine After getting input from others, polish your research topic idea further before committing to it.

Hopefully, these tips will help you select the best research topics on mental health and start your exploration on the right note. Let’s now move forward to the actual ideas.

List of Mental Health Research Paper Topics

Below you will find a unique collection of hot mental health research paper topics. Designed to inspire students, budding researchers, and knowledge seekers, this list of ideas will surely be helpful.

The impact of socioeconomic status on mental health conditions.
Exploring the role of social media in mental illness.
Analyze how trauma affects mental health.
Investigating stress management strategies for anxiety disorders.
Impact of sleep disorders on mental health.
Art therapy: A non-traditional approach to emotional health.
The relationship between childhood trauma and adult mental health.
The role of genetics in mental health disorders.
Understanding the psychology of eating disorders.
The interplay of physical activity and mental health.
The psychological impact of chronic diseases.
Internet addiction and its psychological implications.
Comparative analysis of Western and Eastern mental health practices.
Suicide prevention strategies in youth.
The role of AI and technology in emotional health care.
A closer look at post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The intersection of mental health and homelessness.
The efficacy of animal-assisted therapy in emotional wellbeing.
The role of culture in mental health treatment.
Exploring the link between mental illness and substance abuse.

Good Mental Health Research Topics

Below we’ve put together a list of good research topics about mental health worth your attention. Take a look and you may find the perfect topic to inspire your next project:

Nature vs. Nurture: The origins of emotional wellbeing disturbance.
Effectiveness of virtual therapy in treating depression.
Investigating anxiety management strategies through mindfulness.
Understanding the psychological effects of online harassment.
The growing mental health crisis in young adults.
Exploring the influence of family relationships on mental health.
Investigating the role of exercise in reducing stress.
How climate change influences emotional wellness.
Assessing the role of financial stress in psychological illness.
Examining the need for improving healthcare systems related to mental health.
The Influence of social media on teenage mental health.
Exploring the connection between mental illness and addiction.
Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in treating anxiety.
The impact of social isolation on mental wellness.
Understanding the impacts of racism on emotional wellbeing.

Interesting Mental Health Research Topics

Sometimes all you need is a spark of inspiration. If that’s the case for you, then take a look at these captivating topics about mental health:

Exploring the impacts of divorce on mental health.
Examining the role of good nutrition in emotional wellbeing.
An analysis of the impact of unemployment on mental illness.
Impact of taxation policies on emotional wellness.
Analyzing the role of online support groups in mental health care.
Investigating the stigma of mental health in universities.
The need for better communication strategies in treating psychological illness.
Analyze the impact of occupational stress on mental wellbeing.
Examine how social exclusion affects emotional wellness.
The growing need for mental health education in schools.
Understanding the importance of parental support for emotional stability.
The role of financial literacy in reducing psychological distress.
Investigating the effectiveness of aromatherapy for stress relief.
Analyzing the use of peer counseling in mental health care.
Exploring new technologies for mental health diagnosis.

Unique Mental Health Research Topics

Ready for something more authentic? Take a look at these research paper topics about mental health and give them your best shot:

Examining the need for gender-sensitive mental health care.
Exploring the impacts of physical disability on emotional wellbeing.
The use of digital technology for mental health awareness.
Analyzing the impact of video gaming on psychological health.
Exploring the efficacy of yoga and meditation in treating depression.
The importance of early identification and treatment of mental illness.
Examining the need for mental health support among LGBTQ+ individuals.
Are alternative therapies effective in treating distress?
Exploring the links between pet ownership and emotional stability.
Use of music therapy in treating anxiety disorders.
Exploring the psychological effects of noise pollution.
Investigating the effectiveness of online forums in emotional health therapy.
Examining the impacts of aging on mental health.
How does cognitive restructuring benefit emotional wellbeing?
The role of herbal remedies in managing psychological distress.

Best Mental Health Research Topics

Are you looking for the very best mental health topics for research papers or projects? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at these amazing ideas to get inspired:

The need for social acceptance in treating psychological disorders.
How do friendships help in managing stress?
How can virtual reality be used in mental health care?
How does religion impact psychological well being?
How economic policies affect psychological stability?
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on global mental health.
Post-traumatic stress disorder in military personnel.
Cyberbullying and its effect on adolescent peace of mind.
Benefits and challenges of teletherapy in emotional stability recovery.
Understanding and managing self-harm behaviors.
Examining the need for mental health support at the workplace.
Exploring the relationship between sleep deprivation and mental health.
Negative impact of toxic relationships on emotional wellness.
Importance of creating a supportive environment for psychological well being.
Benefits of self-care for emotional wellness.

Controversial Mental Health Research Topics

The mental health research topics below are sure to spark some debate. If you’re browsing for debatable argumentative paper topics or project on mental health, take a look at these themes:

Investigating the role of propaganda in creating mental health stigmas.
Exploring the impact of false news and its influence on mental wellbeing.
The need for mental health awareness campaigns in the media.
Medical marijuana and emotional stability: beneficial or harmful?
Forced hospitalization in psychiatry: necessity or violation of rights?
Is suicide representation in media preventive or harmful?
The "Anti-Vax" Movement's impact on public mental health.
The use of electroconvulsive therapy in modern psychiatry.
Does ADHD overdiagnosis contribute to misunderstood child behavior?
Are personality disorders just extreme versions of normal personality traits?
Is there a connection between mental health and gun control laws?
The validity of self-diagnosis in mental health: empowering or harmful?
Controversy over the DSM-5's expanding definition of mental illness.
How does political instability affect emotional wellbeing?
Investigating the effectiveness of government policies in mental health care.

Research Questions About Mental Health

Mental health research questions are key in helping you focus on the right topics when writing a dissertation or any other capstone project. Here are a few examples to get started:

How do parenting styles affect children’s emotional stability?
How does a positive self-image contribute to mental health resilience?
Can a supportive community significantly mitigate the symptoms of mental disorders?
Is there a correlation between high academic pressure and mental health disorders in students?
How can workplace policies be improved to better support employee wellbeing?
How does exposure to nature influence mental well-being?
How do personal belief systems and religion influence attitudes towards psychiatric disorders?
Can implementing a regular digital detox improve the state of mind?
How do life-changing events, such as migration or job loss, impact our emotional health?
What role do hormones play in mood disorders?
What are the psychological effects of long-term unemployment?
How does grief affect mental health, and how can it be managed effectively?
How does living in an urban vs. rural environment impact emotional health?
How do microaggressions in daily life contribute to stress and mental health disorders?
What is the impact of gender identity and sexual orientation on emotional wellbeing?

>> View more: Medical Research Paper Topics

Mental Health Research Topic Ideas for Students

Covering a broad spectrum of themes, our list aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the multidimensional aspects of mental health. These mental health topics for students can foster critical thinking and bring about scholarly conversations.

Mental Health Research Topics for High School

Hover over these interesting mental health research topics for high school students to find a fitting idea.

The influence of social media on teen mental health.
How does school environment influence a student's state of mind?
The role of peer pressure in psychiatric issues among teens.
The psychological impact of body image and self-esteem issues.
Mental health implications of academic stress and burnout.
The role of counseling in schools for mental health support.
Understanding eating disorders in adolescence.
The impact of parental emotional stability on adolescents.
What are the most effective ways of reducing student stress and anxiety?
Can social media platforms be used to promote positive mental health messages?
How can parents identify childhood depression and anxiety in their children?
Enhancing social and emotional skills in high school students.
Mindfulness and stress reduction techniques for high school students.
How does physical activity impact mental health in teenagers?

Mental Health Research Topics for College Students

Take a look at this collection of research paper topics on mental health for college students to find the one that suits your needs.

The impact of chronic stress on physical and psychological health.
Addressing mental illness stigma among university students.
What are the most effective methods for reducing anxiety in college students?
Examining the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions for mental health disorders.
Risk factors and triggers that contribute to depression in higher education settings.
Exploring the relationship between academic performance and psychological health.
The influence of online communication on student’s emotional wellbeing.
How can university professors promote mental health awareness among their students?
Benefits of cognitive behavior therapy for college students.
What are the most effective ways to prevent suicidal ideation in college students?
Role-playing games as a therapeutic approach to emotional disorders.
Intersectional approaches to mental health: gender, race and ethnicity.
The link between drug and alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder.
Does cultural awareness influence the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders?
Investigating the role of technology in deteriorating mental health among young people.

Mental Health Research Topics and Ideas Worth Considering

Here, you'll find worthy research paper ideas on mental health focusing on different aspects. From understanding how our minds and bodies connect, to looking at the impact of society, and even studying new therapies, we've got a range of mental health research ideas for you.

Mental Illness Research Paper Topics

This selection covers an array of mental illness ideas focusing on various disorders, their causes, symptoms, and treatment options. They are ideal for students and researchers looking to broaden their knowledge.

How complex is dissociative identity disorder and what factors contribute to its development?
What role does trauma play in the development of borderline personality disorder?
What are the implications of long-term antidepressant use in major depressive disorder?
How do psychiatric service dogs impact the management of post-traumatic stress disorder?
Which psychotherapeutic approaches are effective in managing schizophrenia?
Does eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) effectively treat trauma?
How does family therapy contribute to the management of anorexia nervosa?
What are the neuroscientific insights into bipolar disorder?
How do socioeconomic factors influence major depressive disorder?
What are the mechanisms behind selective mutism in children?
To what extent does genetics contribute to autism spectrum disorder?
Psychodynamics of narcissistic personality disorder.
Implications of stigma in the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia.
Is there a link between childhood abuse and dissociative disorders that warrants exploration?
What impact does neurofeedback training have on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

Research Topics on Mental Health Counseling

This collection of research topics for mental health focuses on the various aspects of counseling, from psychological theories to practical approaches.

How important is cultural sensitivity in therapy and its impact on treatment outcomes?
What ethical dilemmas arise in therapy, particularly concerning privacy and confidentiality?
What is the role of positive psychology in therapeutic practices and its impact on well-being?
Does therapists' mental health influence the outcomes of their clients?
What are the methods and benefits of group therapy?
Can cognitive behavioral therapy effectively manage panic disorders?
Why is self-care important for therapists and how does it impact their work?
How does counselor bias affect mental health therapy outcomes?
The use of dialectical behavior therapy in addressing emotional instability.
How does play therapy support children's mental health?
What are the unique challenges in providing therapy for veterans with PTSD?
Can family systems therapy serve as a panacea for family-related issues?
How effective is grief counseling in helping individuals cope with bereavement?
What is the power of storytelling in emotional health care and its impact?
How effective is solution-focused brief therapy in achieving quick emotional recovery?

Young Mothers Mental Health Research Topics

This selection of research ideas about mental health covers how young mothers navigate the physical, psychological and social changes.

What are the unique mental health challenges faced by teenage mothers?
How does postpartum depression impact parenting and mother-child bond?
The effects of poverty on young maternal mental health.
Examining the effects of early adolescent pregnancy on social relationships.
What coping strategies can be used to address stress among young mothers?
Can breastfeeding serve as a protective factor against postpartum depression?
The correlation between exercise and mental health among young mothers.
What role do support networks play in assisting young mothers to access mental health services?
How does becoming a mother affect the identity of teenage girls?
Exploring the link between single parenthood and adolescent mental health.
What psychological interventions are effective in improving the mental health of young mothers?
What role does childcare play in supporting mental wellbeing among young mothers
Investigating the link between socioeconomic status and maternal depression among teenage mothers.
What role does health education play in improving the mental health of young mothers?
Are there any long-term effects of postpartum depression on child development?

Research Topics in Mental Health Nursing

Are you looking for good research topics on mental health nursing? Don't miss out on these ideas. Below you will find an idea or two in this direction.

How does nurse-patient relationships impact mental health recovery?
What is the role of psychiatric nurses in de-escalating crisis situations?
Ethical dilemmas faced by mental health nurses.
Stress and burnout among mental health nurses: Causes and coping strategies.
Are mental health nursing interventions effective for patients with PTSD?
Psychiatric nurses' role in managing patients with dual diagnosis.
Enhancing communication skills in mental health nursing.
Mental health nursing practices in pediatric care.
The role of nurses in suicide prevention and postvention.
Challenges in providing culturally sensitive care in mental health nursing.
The impact of mental health nurses in reducing hospital readmission rates.
The integration of telepsychiatry into nursing practice.
Training needs and professional development for nurses.
The efficacy of trauma-informed care in nursing.
Transition challenges for mental health nurses from inpatient to community care.

>> Read more: Nursing Research Topics

Mental Health Law Research Topics

Are you searching for some interesting research topics in mental health law? Here are a few ideas that could help you narrow down your focus.

The implications of involuntary commitment laws on civil rights.
Should mental health treatment be legally mandated for those deemed dangerous?
What are the legal safeguards when interpreting informed consent in psychiatric hospitals?
How can legal systems address violence risk assessment and management?
Exploring the ethical dilemmas behind forced medication in a psychiatric hospital.
Should involuntary commitment laws be amended to include substance use disorders?
What role does the Mental Health Act play in safeguarding the rights of patients?
Can therapeutic jurisprudence provide a viable solution for mental health law reform?
The implications of the Mental Capacity Act on decision-making and autonomy.
Analysis of consent capacity assessments in mental health law.
The role of civil commitment laws in improving access to treatment and care.
Mental health law provisions for those with chronic or terminal illnesses.
How does criminal justice reform help reduce the number of mentally ill inmates?
What are the legal considerations for ensuring patient confidentiality in mental health?
Does the Mental Health Act adequately protect the rights of young adults?

>> Read more: Legal Research Paper Topics

Mental Health Research Topics on Behavioral Issues

If you're browsing for mental health topics to research behavioral issues, here are a few titles that could help get you started.

The role of emotions in decision-making and behavior.
Exploring the link between impulsivity and depression.
How does stress-coping impact emotion regulation abilities?
Examining the impact of cognitive distortions on behavioral responses.
The role of metacognition in addressing anxiety and depression.
Evaluating the effectiveness of anger management interventions.
The impact of social media on self-esteem and behavior.
How can parents encourage healthy coping strategies in children?
Examining the role of reward systems for enhancing motivation.
How do family dynamics influence behavior problems?
The implications of trauma on behavior and emotion regulation.
Exploring the link between sleep habits and behavior problems.
Can mindfulness be an effective tool to reduce aggressive behavior?
What strategies can be used to manage impulsivity?
Can virtual reality serve as a cognitive-behavioral therapy tool?

Extra Mental Health Research Topics

The following list features unique research topic ideas on mental health that are less explored but equally important. Whether you're seasoned or a beginner in mental health research, these ideas are sure to spark engaging conversations and deepen your understanding. So, let's dive in and explore these intriguing aspects in this direction together.

Psychiatry Research Topics

The collection below spotlights a wide range of subjects, from understanding psychiatric disorders to exploring advanced treatment methods. It's an excellent resource for anyone interested in diving deeper into this intriguing medical specialty. Get ready to immerse yourself in these psychiatric research topics and contribute to the field.

The effects of combining psychotherapy with medication for the treatment of depression.
Exploring the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for treating bipolar disorder.
What role do genetics play in the development of schizophrenia?
Examining the long-term impact of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
The use of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of mental illness.
Can mindfulness be an effective tool for treating anxiety?
The efficacy of virtual reality (VR) therapy in treating phobias.
What role do diet and nutrition play in managing psychiatric disorders?
The use of telepsychiatry to improve access to care.
How do brain activity and behavior interact in psychiatric disorders?
Exploring the role of technology in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
What is the role of childcare in supporting mental wellbeing among young mothers?
How does early childhood development influence mental health later in life?
The importance of social connectedness for psychological well being.
Exploring how cultural beliefs and practices influence mental health.

>> Read more: Psychology Research Paper Topics

Research Topics on Mental Disorder

This list of research topics regarding mental health disorders provides an exciting opportunity to explore the underlying causes, symptoms, and treatments for a wide range of psychological issues. Let's take a closer look at these compelling research topics in mental health.

What are the risk factors and warning signs of bipolar disorder?
How can family therapy be used to support children with autism?
Exploring differences in diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia between men and women.
The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Examining the impact of trauma on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What role do environmental factors play in determining vulnerability to depression?
Neuroimaging research on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.
Can virtual reality (VR) therapy be used to treat anxiety disorders?
Identifying the most effective psychotherapeutic approaches for treating borderline personality disorder.
Analysis of the role of medication in treating eating disorders.
The effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in managing gambling addiction.
Exploring the use of music therapy for symptoms of psychosis.
What are the best practices for supporting individuals with dissociative identity disorder?
What role does lifestyle play in managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
The potential of exercise and nutrition in preventing dementia.

Bottom Line on Research Topics About Mental Health

We did our best to provide you with exciting mental health research topics. No matter which topic you choose, make sure it resonates with your interests and provides new insights. Once you select a fitting idea, make sure to check how to write a research paper to nail your task.

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60 popular mental health research paper topics.

The best way to write a good mental health research paper is to select a topic that you will enjoy working on. If you are looking for some interesting mental health research paper topics to work on, here is a list of 60 ideas to choose from.

Perfect for students as well as experts these topics have ample scope to experiment, share ideas and arguments on, and find substantial evidence to support your view. Take a look –

Mental Health Topics for Research Paper

When you are writing a paper for a graded assignment, it is important to have some great research paper topics about mental health to pick from. Here are some to consider –

Mental traumas from physical injuries and how to help recover
Resilience building – why is it important for children?
Friendships in men and how they contribute to mental health?
The role of parenting in building good mental health in children
What is normal emotional health and mental functioning?
Anti-depressants and their side effects.
Indicators suggesting medication for depression can be stopped
Effects of colors on mental health
How and why does lack of sleep effect emotional mental health?
Effect of exercise on a patient’s mental health
Effective methods to boost brain health and emotional quotient as we age
Mental health developmental stages in children from birth to 5 years of age
Why is play important for mental health in children
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – what causes it and how to manage?
ADHD — how to identify if someone has it?

Critical Analysis Research Paper Topics in Mental Health

For psychology students looking for effective research paper topics mental health offers many arenas for critical analysis. Here are some good topics to pick from –

Relevance of Freud in modern day psychiatry
Abortion care – the ethics and the procedures to facilitate emotional wellbeing
Are women facing more mental health issues than men?
Suicide – The reasons, trauma, and dealing with it
How does peer pressure change mental wellness and how to deal with it?
Effect of child abuse on toddlers’ mental health and resilience
Does Obesity affect mental health?
Is the damage on mental health caused by sexual abuse permanent?
Hormonal imbalances and their effect on women’s mental health
How to identify signs of mental illness in a loved one?

Music Therapy Research Paper Topics Mental Health

Music plays a significant role in enhancing mental health. Here are some mental health research paper topics on the role of music therapy in the field of mental health and treatments:

Music therapy a complimentary approach to biomedicine
Does music therapy facilitate enhanced healing?
Efficacy of music therapy for older adults
The role of music therapy in rehabilitation of mental health patients
Music based interventions and the effects of music therapy
Eating disorders and can music therapy help?
Can music therapy help with mental health during menopause?
Music therapy and its role in PTSD

Mental Health Nursing Research Paper Topics

If you are a nursing student you will certainly find these research paper topics for mental health useful for your assignment –

Psychiatric care in adult patients of mental health disorders
Non-chemical practices in bipolar disorder
Mental health care for patients dealing with alcohol addiction
Managing PTSD in armed forces veterans
Ethics to deal with psychiatric patients
Postpartum depression and how to identify and assist in early stages
Identifying the signs and managing patients with eating disorder
Mental illnesses common in soldiers returning from war
Signs of mental illness that must never be ignored
How to manage self-destructive mental health patients?

Controversial Research Paper Topics About Mental Health

Some mental health topics are controversial, but also well scoring if handled well. Take a look at some such topics worth considering –

Do natural alternatives to anti-depressants work?
Extreme postpartum depression leading to child harming tendencies
Infertility and its effects on mental health of the couple
Are more women suicidal than men?
Effect of teen relationship problems on mental health
The relationship between mental health and child abusers
Physical abuse in marriage and its effect on mental health
Rape and managing the emotional scars for effective healing
Self-destructive tendencies in children – causes and cures
Is it possible that there are people without conscience?
Are video games making children violent and aggressive?
Should criminals facing trial be subjected to genetic testing for impulse control?
Mental health in teenagers and why they cut themselves
Phobias – some of the most common and unusual fears people have
Divorce and how it affects the mental health of children
Is mental illness genetic
Does discovery of being adopted affect mental health of a child?

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Mental Health Research Topics

Recently, mental health has become an increasingly prevalent and critical topic of discussion. From the stresses of work and school to the challenges of maintaining relationships and navigating societal pressures, individuals are facing a myriad of mental health concerns.

In this article, we dive into the complexities of mental health topics, ranging from anxiety and depression to coping mechanisms and seeking professional help. By shedding light on these issues and offering insights into understanding, managing, and supporting mental well-being, we aim to empower individuals to prioritize their mental health and foster a culture of openness and compassion surrounding mental health discussions. If your schedule is too hectic, simply say, ‘ write my essay ,’ and our experts will help you relieve the workload.

Already Found a Great Mental Health Topic?

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200 Mental Health Research Paper Topics

In this section, we explore various mental health topics, providing insights, strategies, and resources to support individuals on their journey towards mental wellness.

Good Research Topics About Mental Health

Social media's impact on teen mental health.
Coping with stress in college.
Exercise and mental well-being.
Work stress management techniques.
Family support and depression.
Mental health stigma in rural areas.
Mindfulness for PTSD.
Diet's effect on mental health.
LGBTQ+ youth mental health.
Burnout among healthcare workers.
Early experiences and adult mental health.
Sleep quality and mood disorders.
Culture and mental illness.
Suicide prevention in teens.
Tech use and mental well-being.
Online therapy effectiveness.
Psychology of long-term unemployment.
Chronic illness and mental health.
Peer support for addiction recovery.
Elderly mental health in nursing homes.

Mental Health Research Topics for High School Students

Social media's impact on teen self-esteem.
Stress management during exams.
Peer pressure and mental health.
Mindfulness for teen anxiety.
Bullying's mental health effects.
Academic pressure and depression.
Sleep's role in teen mental health.
Gender differences in seeking help.
Extracurriculars and mental health.
Teenage mental health stigma.
Family dynamics and teen mental health.
Social support for teens.
Cultural attitudes on teen mental health.
Building resilience in adolescents.
Exercise and mood in teens.
Screen time and mental health.
Peer-led mental health initiatives.
Eating disorders in high schoolers.
Substance abuse and mental health.
School mental health programs.

Mental Health Research Topics for College Students

Academic stress and mental health.
Social media's impact on college students.
Campus mental health services effectiveness.
Sleep quality and mental well-being.
Depression and anxiety prevalence.
Financial stress and mental health.
Coping with homesickness in college.
Identity exploration and mental health.
Substance use and college mental health.
International students' mental health needs.
Perfectionism and mental health.
Tech use and psychological well-being.
Stigma around mental health help-seeking.
Peer support on campus.
Relationships and mental health.
Academic pressure, sleep, and mental health.
Mental health of student-athletes.
Cultural identity and mental health.
Social isolation among students.
Stress management workshops' impact.

Sociology Research Topics on Mental Health

Societal stigma and mental illness.
Socioeconomic status and mental health access.
Cultural perspectives on mental health.
Gender differences in mental health treatment.
Family influence on mental health attitudes.
Social constructions of mental illness.
Mental health in marginalized communities.
Social support and well-being.
Race, gender, and mental health.
Policies addressing mental health needs.
Media portrayal of mental illness.
Community-based mental health initiatives.
Urbanization and mental health challenges.
Loneliness and mental well-being.
Religion, spirituality, and mental health.
Employment status and mental health.
Education's role in mental health.
Social determinants of mental well-being.
Mental health in the criminal justice system.
Peer support for stigma reduction.

Mental Health Research Topics for Nursing Students

Nurses' role in mental health awareness.
Anxiety disorder nursing interventions.
Combatting mental health stigma in nursing.
Trauma-informed care in psychiatric nursing.
Therapeutic communication's impact in mental health.
Medication management in psychiatric nursing.
Suicide risk assessment and interventions.
Self-care for mental health nurses.
Holistic approaches in mental health nursing.
Cultural competence in mental health care.
Nursing interventions for mood disorders.
Family support in mental health nursing.
Adolescent mental health nursing.
Evidence-based practices in psychiatric nursing.
Nursing care for schizophrenia patients.
Interdisciplinary collaboration in mental health care.
Substance use disorder nursing support.
Challenges and rewards of psychiatric nursing.
Crisis intervention in mental health nursing.
Ethical considerations in mental health care.

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Mental Illness Topics for Research Paper

Genetics and environment in schizophrenia.
Neurotransmitters in depression treatment.
Neurobiology of anxiety disorders.
Childhood trauma and borderline personality disorder.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for OCD.
Early intervention for psychosis.
Substance abuse and mood disorders.
Culture and eating disorder treatment.
Neurodevelopmental pathways in autism.
Inflammation in bipolar disorder.
Social determinants of mental illness.
Stigma and mental health treatment.
Peer support for schizophrenia.
Sleep disturbances and psychiatric disorders.
Social media and body image issues.
Stress, trauma, and cognition.
Epigenetics and anxiety disorders.
Art therapy for mood disorders.
Gut microbiota and mental health.

Adolescent Mental Health Research Topics

Social media and adolescent mental health.
Bullying's impact on teens.
Adolescent depression prevalence and risks.
Academic pressure and teen anxiety.
Substance use among adolescents.
Gender identity and teen mental health.
Peer relationships and well-being.
Mindfulness for adolescent stress reduction.
Trauma's effect on teen mental health.
Stigma around teen mental health.
Sleep patterns and teen mental well-being.
Culture and adolescent mental illness.
Socioeconomic status and mental health services access.
Technology use and teen mental well-being.
Suicide prevention strategies for teens.
Peer pressure and mental health risks.
Resilience-building in at-risk teens.
School-based mental health interventions.

Social Justice Research Topics Around Mental Health

Mental health disparities in marginalized groups.
Racism and mental health outcomes.
Access to mental health care for underserved communities.
Cultural competence in treatment.
Combatting stigma in diverse populations.
LGBTQ+ mental health rights.
Intersectionality in mental health.
Indigenous mental health and decolonization efforts.
Advocating for equitable mental health policies.
Environmental justice and mental well-being.
Trauma-informed care in justice systems.
Refugee and immigrant mental health challenges.
Disability justice and mental health inclusion.
Gender equity in mental health services.
Ethics in global mental health initiatives.
Mental health impact of incarceration.
Community-based mental health support.
Anti-oppressive practices in mental health care.
Ensuring justice in psychiatric care.

Mental Health Counseling Research Topics

Online counseling effectiveness.
Technology integration in counseling.
Cultural competence in therapy.
Group therapy outcomes.
Burnout prevention for counselors.
Rapport and therapeutic success.
Expressive arts therapy in counseling.
Teletherapy benefits and challenges.
Trauma-informed counseling effectiveness.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy outcomes.
Spirituality in counseling.
Mindfulness techniques in therapy.
Counselor training impact.
Narrative therapy effectiveness.
Cultural humility in counseling.
Animal-assisted therapy in counseling.
Family systems theory application.
Solution-focused brief therapy outcomes.
Counselor self-disclosure impact.
Ethical considerations in counseling.

Mental Health Research Topics on Behavioral Issues

Childhood trauma and adult behavioral issues.
Parenting styles and child behavior.
Peer influence on adolescent behavior.
Substance abuse and behavioral disorders.
ADHD and conduct disorder.
Aggression reduction interventions.
Genetics and behavioral issues.
Early intervention for behavioral problems.
Media violence and child aggression.
Screen time and adolescent behavior.
Socioeconomic status and behavioral disorders.
School environments and behavior.
Sleep disturbances and behavior.
Trauma-informed care impact.
Mindfulness for disruptive behavior.
Nutrition and child behavior.
Attachment theory and behavior.
Adverse childhood experiences and behavior.
Technology addiction and behavior.
Family therapy for behavioral problems.

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Mental Health Research Topic Checklist

Determining if your mental health research topic is great involves assessing several key aspects:

Relevance: Is it timely and aligned with current mental health issues?
Significance: Does it address important questions or challenges?
Originality: Does it offer new insights or perspectives?
Feasibility: Can it be researched effectively, given available resources?
Interest: Are you genuinely passionate about the topic?
Impact: Will it advance knowledge, inform practice, or influence policy?
Clarity : Is the research question clear and well-defined?

By the way, we have discovered the best mental health app , which can be a source of inspiration for your research.

How to Choose Research Topics About Mental Health

Choosing research topics about mental health involves a thoughtful process. Here are some steps to guide you:

Identify your interests

Start by reflecting on your interests within the broad field of mental health. What topics resonate with you personally or professionally? Consider areas you are passionate about or curious to learn more about.

Review existing literature

Conduct a literature review to explore current research in mental health. Identify gaps, controversies, or areas where further investigation is needed. Look for topics that have sufficient existing research but still offer room for new insights or perspectives.

Consider societal relevance

Think about the societal relevance and impact of potential research topics. Consider issues that are timely, pressing, or have practical implications for individuals, communities, or policymakers.

Assess feasibility

Evaluate the feasibility of researching each topic. Consider factors such as access to data, resources, ethical considerations, and your expertise or skills. Choose a topic that you can realistically investigate within the constraints of your research context.

Final Thought

Studying mental health in college is important because it helps students learn how our minds work and handle our mental well-being. It also teaches us to understand and support others who may be going through tough times.

By studying mental health, students can gain insights into the different factors that affect our mental well-being, like biology, emotions, relationships, and environment. To become a medical aid professional, you should also learn about the healthcare consultant requirements .

Need a Good Mental Health Research Topic?

Let our experts brainstorm a great topic and deliver a tailored paper overnight!

How to Do Research in Mental Health?

What are the research topics for mental health of students, what are some good mental health topics.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Research Projects | Centre for Global Mental Health . (n.d.). Centre for Global Mental Health. https://www.centreforglobalmentalhealth.org/research-projects
Health Topics . (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics
Mental Health research topics . (2023, July 26). https://www.otago.ac.nz/mental-health-research/topics

Research article
Open access
Published: 01 May 2020

A systematic literature review of existing conceptualisation and measurement of mental health literacy in adolescent research: current challenges and inconsistencies

Rosie Mansfield ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8703-5606 1 ,
Praveetha Patalay 2 &
Neil Humphrey 1

BMC Public Health volume 20 , Article number: 607 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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With an increased political interest in school-based mental health education, the dominant understanding and measurement of mental health literacy (MHL) in adolescent research should be critically appraised. This systematic literature review aimed to investigate the conceptualisation and measurement of MHL in adolescent research and the extent of methodological homogeneity in the field for meta-analyses.

Databases (PsycINFO, EMBASE, MEDLINE, ASSIA and ERIC) and grey literature were searched (1997–2017). Included articles used the term ‘mental health literacy’ and presented self-report data for at least one MHL domain with an adolescent sample (10–19 years). Definitions, methodological and contextual data were extracted and synthesised.

Ninety-one articles were identified. There was evidence of conceptual confusion, methodological inconsistency and a lack of measures developed and psychometrically tested with adolescents. The most commonly assessed domains were mental illness stigma and help-seeking beliefs; however, frequency of assessment varied by definition usage and study design. Recognition and knowledge of mental illnesses were assessed more frequently than help-seeking knowledge. A mental-ill health approach continues to dominate the field, with few articles assessing knowledge of mental health promotion.

Conclusions

MHL research with adolescent samples is increasing. Results suggest that a better understanding of what MHL means for this population is needed in order to develop reliable, valid and feasible adolescent measures, and explore mechanisms for change in improving adolescent mental health. We recommend a move away from ‘mental disorder literacy’ and towards critical ‘mental health literacy’. Future MHL research should apply integrated, culturally sensitive models of health literacy that account for life stage and acknowledge the interaction between individuals’ ability and social and contextual demands.

Peer Review reports

Around 50% of mental health difficulties have their first onset by age 15 [ 1 , 2 ] and are associated with negative outcomes such as lower educational attainment and physical health problems [ 3 ]. Approximately 10–20% of young people are affected worldwide, and many more will experience impairing mental distress at varying degrees across the mental health continuum [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Adolescence is a critical period of transition, characterised by physical, cognitive, emotional, social and behavioural development [ 9 ]. It has therefore been identified as a particularly important developmental phase for improving ‘mental health literacy’ (MHL) and promoting access to mental health services [ 10 , 11 ]. However, better understanding of the conceptualisation and measurement of MHL in this population is needed.

MHL was first defined as ‘ knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management or prevention’ ( [ 12 ] pp 182) and consisted of six domains: ‘1) the ability to recognise specific disorders or different types of psychological distress; 2) knowledge and beliefs about risk factors and causes; 3) knowledge and beliefs about self-help interventions; 4) knowledge and beliefs about professional help available; 5) attitudes which facilitate recognition and appropriate help-seeking, and 6) knowledge of how to seek mental health information’ ( [ 13 ] pp 396). Domains were later revised to include early recognition, prevention and mental health first aid skills [ 14 ]. The most recent definition comprises four broad domains aligned with current definitions of health literacy: ‘1) understanding how to obtain and maintain positive mental health; 2) understanding mental disorders and their treatments; 3) decreasing stigma related to mental disorders, and 4) enhancing help-seeking efficacy (knowing when and where to seek help and developing competencies designed to improve one’s mental health care and self-management capabilities’ ( [ 15 ] pp 155).

In a review of MHL measurement tools, O’Connor et al. revealed that the most commonly assessed domain was recognition of mental disorders. No studies assessed either knowledge of how to seek information or knowledge of self-help interventions [ 16 ]. The focus on recognition of mental disorders, along with knowledge about risk factors, causes and appropriate treatments, has been criticised for promoting the psychiatric and biogenetic conceptualisation of mental illness [ 17 , 18 ]. Despite being found to reduce blame, biogenetic explanations and attributions can lead to misconceptions about dangerousness and unpredictability and pessimism about recovery [ 19 ]. Early research also suggested that biogenetic causal theories increase a desire for social distance [ 20 , 21 ]. MHL modelled on recognition of psychiatric labels, and diagnostic language such as ‘disorder’, often leads to psychosocial predictors being ignored, and more negative attitudes towards individuals experiencing mental distress [ 22 , 23 ].

These criticisms, in line with broader socio-cultural approaches to literacy [ 24 ] understand MHL as a socio-political practice used to communicate, and make dominant, the psychiatric discourse. This appears to undermine attempts to reduce stigma, the most common outcome of school-based MHL interventions [ 25 ]. In their review of MHL measurement tools, O’Connor et al. excluded all disorder specific scales, claiming that ‘ MHL by definition should encompass knowledge and attitudes relating to a range of mental health disorders and concepts .’ ( [ 16 ] pp 199). Chambers et al. further criticised current MHL definitions for being narrow in focus with a predominantly mental-ill health approach, ignoring the complete mental health state that goes beyond the dichotomy of illness and wellness [ 26 , 27 ]. The difference between literacy about mental disorders and the ability to seek out, comprehend, appraise and apply information relating to the complete mental health state is an emerging point of discussion, and has seen MHL re-defined to include self-acquired knowledge and skills relating to positive psychology [ 28 , 29 ]. This aligns with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) definition of mental health, which includes subjective wellbeing, optimal functioning and coping, and recognises mental health beyond the absence of disorder [ 30 ].

In response to increasingly inclusive definitions of MHL, Spiker and Hammer presented the argument for MHL as a ‘multi-construct theory, rather than a multi-dimensional construct’ ( [ 31 ] pp 3). The proposal suggested that by stretching the MHL construct, researchers have reduced the consistent use of the definition across studies, resulting in heterogeneous measurement [ 32 ]. Reviews of the psychometric properties of MHL measurement tools support this argument, and conclude that more consistent measurement with valid scales is needed [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. Spiker and Hammer also outline problems with construct irrelevant variance [ 31 ], in which measures capture more than they intended to. Furthermore, they note that construct proliferation or the ‘jingle jangle fallacy’ [ 37 ], in which scales may have different labels but measure the same construct, and vice versa, increase problems with discriminant validity. Understanding MHL as a multi-construct theory could help delineate between its broad domains: recognition, knowledge, stigma and help-seeking beliefs, and acknowledge their complexity.

Internationally, there is growing political interest in child and adolescent mental health promotion and education [ 6 , 38 ]. Despite limited evidence, it is suggested that educating the public by improving their ability to recognise mental disorders, and increasing help-seeking knowledge, can promote population mental health [ 39 , 40 ]. Furthermore, a reduction in stigmatising attitudes is consistently reported to improve help-seeking [ 41 , 42 ]. MHL, by definition, includes these interacting domains. However, despite a comprehensive set of reviews that assess the psychometric properties of MHL measurement tools [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ], there is no systematic literature review, to date, that assesses the current conceptualisation and measurement of MHL across adolescent research. Being able to clearly operationalise what is meant by a MHL intervention and meta-analyse their effectiveness, will have implications for the investment in school and population level initiatives. Similarly, being able to conduct time trend analyses that plot possible improvements in adolescents’ MHL against mental health outcomes, will reveal the extent to which population level improvements in MHL promote mental health. First though, we must have a clear picture of the understanding of MHL in adolescent research and how it is currently being measured.

Objectives and research questions

The aim of the current study was therefore to examine the ways in which MHL has been conceptualised and measured in adolescent research to date, and explore the extent of methodological homogeneity in the field for meta-analyses. We set out to answer the following research questions: 1) What are the most common study designs, contexts, and aims? 2) How is MHL conceptualised? 3) What are the most commonly measured domains of MHL, and do these vary by study design and definition usage? 4) To what extent do articles use measures that have evidence of validity for use with adolescent samples? 5) Is there enough methodological homogeneity in the field to conduct meta-analyses?

A protocol was published on PROSPERO in December 2017 (reference: CRD42017082021 ), and was updated periodically to reflect the progress of the review. Relevant PRISMA guidelines for reporting were followed [ 43 ].

Eligibility criteria

Articles were included with adolescent samples aged between 10 and 19 [ 44 ]. Samples with a mean age outside of this range were excluded. If no mean was presented and the age range fell outside of the criterion, articles were only included if results were presented for sub-groups (e.g. 12–17 years from a sample aged 12–25). General MHL and diagnosis-specific literacy research was included. Articles with quantitative study designs and extractable self-report data for at least one time point measurement of any MHL domain were eligible. These criteria ensured that only articles with extractable data from adolescents, who had not yet received any form of intervention were included. At the full text screening phase, articles published before 1997, based on the date of the first MHL definition [ 12 ], and those that did not explicitly use the term ‘mental health literacy’ or a diagnosis-specific equivalent (e.g. ‘depression literacy’) were excluded. By applying this criterion, the current study was able to present the number of articles that measured domains without referring to MHL. Identifying cases where researchers measure the same construct but use different labels is important when considering conceptualisation and meta-analyses.

Only articles available in English were included. Specific populations such as clinical/patient populations and juvenile offenders were excluded, as were university students. In contrast to schools in most countries, universities are not universal, with only a sub-set of young people entering higher education. University samples were therefore not seen as representative and often included participants outside the age criterion. Post-partum and later life neurocognitive disorders (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease) were removed given their limited relevance for this age group. In line with other MHL reviews [ 33 ], articles with a focus on substance abuse were excluded to avoid reviewing a large number of adolescent risk behaviour studies and substance abuse prevention programmes.

Search strategy

The search strategy was developed to include a number of combinations of terms to ensure that literature relating to different domains of MHL were captured. Population terms such as ‘adolescen*’ or ‘young people*’ had to be present and mental health related terms (e.g. ‘mental health’ and ‘mental disorders’) were exploded to capture general MHL and diagnosis-specific studies. Similarly, outcome terms (e.g. ‘health literacy’ and ‘health education’) were exploded, and domain specific terms included (e.g. ‘knowledge’, ‘recogni*’, ‘attitud*’, ‘stigma*’, ‘help-seek*’, ‘prevent*’ or ‘positive*’). See Additional File 1 . for an example search strategy.

Data sources

The following databases were searched from their start date to the search dates (November 2017): PsycINFO, EMBASE, MEDLINE, ASSIA, and ERIC. Key authors were also contacted to identify grey literature. References were harvested from related reviews and all papers identified in the search. Hand searches of key authors’ publication lists were also conducted, and Google Scholar was used to find studies known by the authors but not identified in the database searches.

Article selection

Results from the database searches were saved to Endnote and duplicates were removed. The lead author screened the article titles and abstracts to identify those that met the inclusion criteria. Full texts were then screened and reasons for exclusion were recorded. Any uncertainties were resolved through discussion with other members of the research team. A sub-set of 20 articles were screened at full text stage by the third author, and a strong level of agreement was found (k = .78, p = .001).

Data extraction

Research was assessed on an article level (rather than by study) for the purposes of investigating the conceptualisation of MHL. The fact that authors break MHL down into component parts to write separate articles is support for identifying which domains are more commonly associated with the use of the term. Data on the following methodological factors were extracted from eligible articles using a uniform data extraction form: year of publication, country and setting (community (research conducted outside of the school setting e.g. population level surveys) vs. school-based research), study design (intervention vs. population-based), primary aims, MHL definition and use of the term, general MHL vs. diagnosis-specific literacy, number/types of MHL domains measured, and measurement tools (e.g. vignette, yes/no, Likert scales).

Data analysis

A content analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 to organise articles by their primary aim and understand the conceptualisation of MHL based on the definition presented and use of the term. Frequencies and percentages for each group were calculated and articles coded based on whether they included items related to general MHL or diagnosis-specific literacy. Existing definitions of MHL [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 28 ] were used to create a coding framework that clearly delineated its broad constituent domains (e.g. recognition, knowledge, stigma and beliefs), the object of these domains (e.g. mental illnesses, mental health prevention and promotion, and help-seeking), and their directionality (e.g. self vs. other) – see Fig. 1 .

MHL Coding Framework

Mental illness stigma was assessed using existing conceptualisation i.e. personal and perceived stigma relating to self (intra-personal) and others (inter-personal), and broad domains (e.g. attitudes and beliefs, emotional reactions, and social distancing) [ 45 ]. The coding of help-seeking beliefs was informed by the theory of planned behaviour [ 46 ], assessing not only help-seeking intentions but also help-seeking confidence and self-perceived help-seeking knowledge, perceived helpfulness of referrals, help-sources and treatments, help-seeking stigma and perceived help-seeking barriers. A distinction was also made between help-seeking beliefs for self (intra-personal) vs. others (inter-personal). Although not explicitly included in any MHL definition, help-seeking behaviour was also assessed as the term is sometimes confused with help-seeking intentions. Domains were coded at an item level due to many articles presenting this form of data (e.g. % of sample that answered each item correctly as opposed to a scale mean). Frequencies and percentages were produced across all articles and by study design and definition usage.

Assessment of measures

An assessment of all MHL related measurement tools was conducted in order to assess methodological homogeneity across articles, and whether there was evidence that the measures were psychometrically valid for adolescent samples. In order to present instruments with the most comprehensive psychometric assessments, measures were coded based on whether an article existed with the primary aim of establishing its psychometric properties with an adolescent sample.

Article selection and characteristics

In total, 206 articles were identified that presented extractable adolescent data on at least one MHL domain. Of these, 91 articles (44%) used the term ‘mental health literacy’. Those that did not use the term ( N = 115, 56%), were therefore not perceived to have intended to explicitly measure the construct and were not included beyond this point. (see Fig. 2 . for a PRISMA flowchart of articles, Additional File 2 . for the full set of coded articles, and Additional File 3 . for the reference list of included articles).

PRISMA Flowchart of Included Studies

Synthesised findings

Design, context and aims.

Figure 3 shows the number of publications by year and country. Australian research dominated the field up until 2013, at which point there was an increase in research being published globally. Australia (34%), USA (15%), Canada (9%), Republic of Ireland (9%) and the UK (8%) have published the majority of research between 2003 and 2017.

Publication Count by Year and Country

Table 1 presents a summary of articles’ study design, context and primary aim. The majority of articles reported on school-based studies. Articles with the primary aim of describing levels of MHL also included variables such as age, school year, gender, education, socio-economic variables, occupation, urbanicity, mental health status and previous mental health service use.

Conceptualisation

Of the 91 articles that used the term ‘mental health literacy’, only 41 (45%) defined it. The most common definition, presented by 29 out of 41 (71%) articles, was that coined by Jorm and colleagues [ 12 ]. A further 3 articles (7%) used a simplified or adapted version of this definition [ 47 , 48 , 49 ]. Four articles (10%) defined MHL as related to knowledge only (e.g. ‘knowledge of mental health problems as well as the sources of help available’ ; ( [ 50 ] pp. 485) . The full list of MHL domains presented by Jorm and colleagues [ 13 ], was included in over a third ( N = 14, 34%) of articles that defined the term. However, there was some variation. For example, very few of these articles ( N = 2, 14%) referred to different types of psychological distress as well as mental disorders when presenting the recognition domain. Furthermore, in most cases ( N = 11, 79%), ‘knowledge and beliefs’ was replaced with ‘knowledge’ only, for domains relating to causes and risk factors, self-help strategies and professional help available.

A small number of articles that defined MHL ( N = 5, 12%) presented Jorm’s additional domains relating to mental health first aid skills and advocacy [ 14 ]. Some articles ( N = 4, 10%) provided examples of specific MHL domains, namely recognition of mental disorders and knowledge and beliefs about appropriate help-seeking and treatment, as opposed to presenting a comprehensive list. An emerging group of articles ( N = 5, 12%) either acknowledged mental health promotion as a component of MHL or presented Kutcher and colleagues’ four broad domains including ‘understanding how to obtain and maintain good mental health’ ( [ 15 ] pp 155).

Regardless of whether a definition was provided, approximately one third of identified articles ( N = 31, 34%) referred to MHL as a construct separate to mental illness stigma, with some suggesting that MHL predicts stigma. For example, articles described the measurement of these constructs as separate (e.g. ‘All respondents were then asked a series of questions that assessed sociodemographic characteristics, mental health literacy, stigma …’; ([ 51 ] pp. 941), and referred to or presented a relationship between the two constructs (e.g. ‘Participants with higher MHL displayed more negative attitudes to mental illness’ ; ( [ 52 ] pp. 100) . There were also instances where articles presented MHL as a predictor of help-seeking intentions and attitudes (e.g. ‘Studies indicate that in general, mental health literacy improves help seeking attitudes’ ; [ 53 ] (pp. 2), or used the term MHL to refer only to improved knowledge (e.g. ‘to assess the extent to which the students had learned the curriculum and developed what we called ‘depression literacy’ ; ([ 54 ] pp. 230).

Measurement

Thirty-nine (43%) articles included items relating to general MHL. The exact terminology varied across studies e.g. mental disorder [ 55 ], mental illness [ 56 ], mental health problem [ 57 ], and mental health issue [ 58 ]. Few articles included items relating to mental health as opposed to mental ill-health. Bjørnsen et al. developed and validated a scale to assess adolescents' knowledge of how to obtain and maintain good mental health [ 28 ]. Kutcher et al. and McLuckie et al. also included an individual knowledge item that assessed an understanding of the complete mental health state (e.g. ‘People who have mental illness can at the same time have mental health’ ) [ 59 , 60 ].

Table 2 . presents the frequency and percentage of articles that assessed different types of diagnosis-specific literacy. In line with this focus, 57 (63%) articles utilized a vignette methodology, basing questions on descriptions, stories and scenarios relating to an individual meeting diagnostic criteria for a given mental disorder. Of these articles, 12 (21%) used comparator vignettes describing individuals with physical health problems (e.g. asthma or diabetes), control characters with good academic attainment, or ‘normal issues’ or mental health problems relating to stressful life events (e.g. the death of an elderly relative or the end of a romantic relationship). Table 3 . presents the frequency and percentage of articles that assessed different domains of MHL.

Measurement tools were too heterogeneous to conduct meta-analyses. As noted in Table 1 , four articles (4%) had the primary aim of validating MHL related measures with adolescent samples [ 28 , 55 , 61 , 62 ]. The scales assessed in Bjørnsen et al. and Pang et al. measured only one broad domain of MHL; knowledge of mental health promotion and mental illness stigma respectively [ 28 , 62 ]. Hart et al. assessed the psychometric properties of a depression knowledge questionnaire and found a one factor general knowledge latent structure to be the best fit to the data [ 61 ]. Campos et al. aimed to provide a more comprehensive assessment of MHL, and by psychometrically assessing a pool of items, developed a 33-item tool with three latent factors: first aid skills and help seeking, knowledge/stereotypes, and self-help strategies [ 55 ]. A further 22 articles (24%), stated that some items or scales had been developed for the purpose of the study.

Thirty-nine articles (43%) stated that they based their items on Jorm and colleagues original MHL survey or later 2006 and 2011 versions [ 12 , 63 ]. Furthermore, two articles (2%) included items from the Mental Health First Aid Questionnaire (MHFAQ) as detailed by Hart et al. [ 64 ]. However, there is no evidence of the validity of these surveys as whole scales, and researchers commonly selected and modified items. The Friend in Need Questionnaire, similar to Jorm and colleagues MHL survey in that it covers multiple MHL domains, was developed by Burns and Rapee to avoid leading multiple-choice answers. Instead, open-ended responses were coded in order to quantify levels of MHL [ 65 ]. Despite finding six articles (7%) that utilised a version of this questionnaire, no published validation paper was found. As part of the Adolescent Depression Awareness Programme (ADAP), an Adolescent Depression Knowledge Questionnaire (ADKQ) was developed and later validated [ 61 ]. Six articles (7%), including the validation paper, presented data using versions of the ADKQ.

Due to the multi-faceted nature of stigma, a range of measurement tools were identified across articles. The Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27) was originally developed by Corrigan and colleagues [ 66 , 67 ] along with a brief 9-item scale (r-AQ) covering the following emotional reactions: blame, anger, pity, help, dangerousness, fear, avoidance, segregation and coercion. A similar 8-item version (AQ-8-C) was also developed for children [ 68 ]. The r-AQ was adapted by Watson et al. for use with middle school aged adolescents [ 69 ], and a 5-item version was more recently validated by Pinto et al. [ 70 ]. Four articles (4%) identified in this review used variations of the r-AQ.

Link et al. developed the 5-item Social Distance Scale (SDS) [ 71 ], which was later adapted for young people [ 72 ]. This version was more recently validated with a large sample aged 15–25 [ 73 ]. Five articles (5%) cited this version of the SDS. Seven articles (8%) used variations of the World Psychiatric Association’s (WPA) social distance items [ 74 ]; however, no adolescent validation paper was found. This review also found factual and attitudinal WPA scales presented by Pinfold et al. including the Myths and Facts About Schizophrenia Questionnaire. In total, these scales, or modified versions, were used in eight articles (9%), but no validation papers were found. The Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale (RIBS) [ 75 ] was utilised in three articles (3%). This scale has been translated into Japanese and Italian, and there is evidence of its validity with adult and university student samples [ 76 , 77 ]. The evidence of its validity with an adolescent sample was mixed [ 78 ].

The Depression Stigma Scale (DSS) was developed by Griffiths et al. to measure personal and perceived depression stigma [ 79 ]. Yap et al. later validated the DSS and confirmed that personal and perceived stigma were distinct constructs comprised of ‘weak-not-sick’ and ‘dangerous/unpredictable’ factors in a sample aged 15–25 [ 73 ]. Six articles (7%) utilised a version of the DSS, more commonly the items relating to personal stigma. Items from the Opinions about Mental Illness Scale (OMI) were used in two articles (2%). The original scale was cited by both [ 80 ], however, a Chinese version of the OMI has been tested for validity with a sample of secondary school students [ 81 ]. Other validated stigma scales identified included: the Attitudes Toward Serious Mental Illness Scale–Adolescent Version (ATSMI-AV) [ 82 ] ( N = 1, 1%) and the Subjective Social Status Loss Scale [ 83 ] ( N = 1, 1%). Measures of help-seeking attitudes and intentions were often not validated with adolescent samples. Two articles (2%) modified the General Help Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ), previously validated for use with high school students [ 84 ]. A further two articles (2%) utilised the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH) scale; however, tests of its validity have only been conducted with college students [ 85 ].

The aims of this review were to investigate the conceptualisation and measurement of MHL in adolescent research, and scope the extent of methodological homogeneity for possible meta-analyses. The review clearly shows an increase in school-based MHL research with adolescent samples in recent years. This makes sense given that adolescence is increasingly identified as an important period for improving MHL and access to mental health services [ 6 , 10 , 11 , 38 ]. However, the field is still dominated by research from Western, developed countries and takes a predominantly mental-ill health approach. Furthermore, numerous challenges and inconsistencies have emerged in the field over the past 20 years.

Included articles were required to use the term ‘mental health literacy’ or a diagnosis-specific equivalent. However, by first including all articles that presented data for at least one MHL domain, a large number of articles that measured domains without referring to MHL were revealed. Researchers were measuring the same constructs but providing different labels indicating problems with discriminant validity [ 31 , 37 ]. It must be acknowledged that some of the articles included in the final set may have used the term without intending to measure the whole construct, and some articles were removed that measured multiple domains. For example, 16 intervention studies, previously included in a systematic literature review of the effectiveness of MHL interventions [ 25 ], were excluded from this current review because they did not use the term. Despite the exclusion of some potentially relevant data on a domain level, this criterion was considered most appropriate given one of the aims was to assess the conceptualisation of MHL.

Although under half of the articles identified defined MHL, those that did predominantly used definitions from Jorm and colleagues [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. However, the various adaptations and interpretations of the original definition has clearly led to a lack of construct travelling in the field, in particular, confusion about the inclusion of beliefs and stigma related constructs as MHL domains. Furthermore, few articles referred to mental health and varying degrees of psychological distress in addition to mental illness, supporting the argument that current MHL definitions take a predominantly mental-ill health approach [ 16 , 26 ].

Although an adolescent specific definition of MHL may not be necessary, definitions frequently adopted by articles in this review were developed for adults. It is important for future research to consider not only cognitive development but also the unique social structures and vulnerabilities of adolescents in the conceptualisation and assessment of MHL. Given that the definition of adolescence in the current study ranges from 10 to 19 years, it is clear that even within this age range, different developmental factors could be considered. Applying integrated models of generic health literacy to MHL that acknowledge the life course and social and environmental determinants should therefore be a future priority [ 86 , 87 ].

Around a third of articles measured recognition of specific mental illnesses, with the majority using open-ended questions such as ‘ What, if anything, do you think is wrong …’, and calculating the % of correct responses. Knowledge of mental illnesses was measured more frequently than knowledge of prevention and promotion, therefore an understanding of the complete mental health state was often neglected [ 27 ]. More research is needed to develop and validate measures that assess the ability to seek out, comprehend, appraise and apply information relating to the complete mental health state as opposed to only assessing literacy of mental disorders. By using measurement tools that predominantly focus on psychiatric labels, there is evidence to suggest that stigma could be increased [ 22 , 23 ]. Given that over three quarters of intervention studies identified in this review included a measure of stigma, future research should consider the way in which mental-ill health approaches to MHL, in terms of intervention content and study measures, may influence stigma related outcomes.

It is perhaps unsurprising that the MHL field continues to be modelled on psychiatric labelling given the influence of Jorm and colleagues early work in Australia that came out of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Social Psychiatry Research Unit [ 12 ]. Kutcher and colleagues MHL definition also has its origins in psychiatry, but more explicitly includes understanding of mental health promotion and stigma reduction [ 15 ]. A growing body of research relating to eating disorders literacy also emphasises the need to distinguish between health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiatives in reducing the population health burden of eating-disordered behaviour and to prioritise mental health promotion programs, including those targeting stigma reduction [ 88 , 89 , 90 ]. This review identified an emerging group of articles that included understanding of how to obtain and maintain good mental health in their conceptualisation of MHL. However, this domain was rarely measured.

Just under half of the articles included items relating to general MHL. However, terminology was varied (e.g. mental illness, mental disorder, mental health problem, mental health issue). Leighton revealed that young people have a lack of conceptual clarity when it comes to these mental health related terms, unsurprising given the lack of consistent definitions in practice [ 91 ]. The range and subjectivity of mental health related terms reduces the meaningfulness of comparisons across MHL studies. Similarly, over half of the articles identified in this review assessed mental illness stigma, but the complexity of the construct caused heterogeneity in measurement. Intentions to seek help were the most commonly measured help-seeking belief; these findings support previous assessments of MHL measurement tools [ 16 ]. Measuring only intentions to seek help, without capturing knowledge of what help is available, will not provide a true picture of actual behaviour change. Findings also suggested that recognition and help-seeking related beliefs may be more directly associated with the MHL construct and, in line with previous literature [ 25 ], mental illness stigma was found to be a common outcome measure in MHL related interventions.

It is worth considering whether the MHL construct should continue to be stretched or whether we should accept that the multiple domains exist in their own right. For example, self-acquired knowledge and skills relating to positive psychology are being investigated, but are only just starting to emerge under the MHL construct [ 28 , 29 ]. Similarly, stigma and help-seeking knowledge and beliefs are assessed as part of, and independently from, the MHL framework. Adopting a multi-construct theory approach to MHL, as suggested by Spiker and Hammer [ 31 ], would see increased focus on developing and validating measures of specific MHL domains in order to better understand the way in which these domains relate to each other.

Developing better MHL theory will help provide clear logic models and theories of change for MHL interventions aiming to improve adolescent mental health, something currently lacking in the field. Although it should be acknowledged that the aims of MHL interventions will vary based on the scope, setting and cultural context, an increased number of validated measures as well as improved MHL theory could inform decisions about the most appropriate domain to measure as the outcome i.e. is the main aim of the intervention to reduce stigma or improve help-seeking. This is particularly important for school-based evaluations of MHL interventions for which respondent burden is often a concern.

We acknowledge that there were some articles in this review that adapted adult measures and tested for face and content validity with child and adolescent mental health professionals, and internal reliability and comprehension with adolescent samples. However, in general there was a lack of psychometric work to assess factor structure of scale-based measures in this age group, with large numbers of articles presenting data on an item level. More research should be conducted like that of Campos et al., working with young people to develop and psychometrically test pools of MHL items to identify latent factors [ 55 ]. This will help to inform future conceptualisation and measurement in this age group.

Even when there was evidence of a measure’s validity for use with adolescents, many articles selected only the items relevant for their study or adapted the scale to fit the cultural context. This may, in part, be an attempt to reduce the number of items and therefore the response burden. However, adaptation to measures based on the cultural discourse around mental health aligns with school-based mental health promotion approaches that account for children’s social, cultural and political contexts [ 92 ]. This raises the important question as to whether we should be trying to test and compare mental health related knowledge across cultures, particularly given the ongoing levels of disagreement amongst mental health professions between and within countries. A previous review of cross-cultural conceptualisations of positive mental health concluded that future definitions should be inclusive and culturally sensitive, and that more work was needed to empirically validate criteria for mental health [ 93 ]. Future research should consider conducting measurement invariance on existing MHL measures across different cultures. A comparison of knowledge items and their pre-defined correct answers, could help understand cultural differences in the discourse around mental health and what it means to be mental health literate across contexts.

Given the increased political interest in mental health promotion and education [ 6 , 38 ], we recommend that MHL research focuses on increasing understanding of ways to promote and maintain positive mental health, including subjective wellbeing, optimal functioning, coping and resilience [ 30 , 94 ]. Examples of knowledge items with true/false responses were identified in the current review and many aligned with a biogenetic conceptualisation of mental illness. Not only could these ‘truths’ cause more negative attitudes towards individuals experiencing mental health difficulties [ 19 ], many mapped directly onto the content of interventions and therefore do not provide any evidence of adolescents’ ability to critically appraise mental health information. To enhance individual and community level critical mental health literacy, the MHL field should apply models of public health literacy that aim to increase empowerment and control over health decisions, and acknowledge the interaction between an individual’s ability and their social and contextual demands [ 86 , 95 , 96 , 97 ]. Given that mental health is a key component of health, it is also worth questioning the usefulness of this separation moving forward; a MHL field that is playing catch up with more developed health literacy approaches could further exaggerate the existing lack of parity of esteem.

MHL research with adolescent populations is on the rise, but this review has highlighted some important areas for future consideration. Increasingly stretched definitions of MHL have led to conceptual confusion and methodological inconsistency, and there is a lack of measures developed and psychometrically tested with adolescents. Furthermore, the field is still dominated by a mental-ill health approach, with limited measures assessing the promotion of positive mental health. We suggest that the MHL field moves away from assessing ‘mental disorder literacy’ and towards critical ‘mental health literacy’. A better understanding of what MHL means for adolescents is needed in order to develop reliable, valid and feasible measures that acknowledge their developmental stage and unique social and contextual demands. In conclusion, by treating MHL as a multi-construct theory, more could be understood about the mechanisms for change in improving adolescent mental health.

Availability of data and materials

Link to PROSPERO review protocol included in the manuscript, example search strategy included as supplementary material.

Abbreviations

Mental health literacy

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Mansfield, R., Patalay, P. & Humphrey, N. A systematic literature review of existing conceptualisation and measurement of mental health literacy in adolescent research: current challenges and inconsistencies. BMC Public Health 20 , 607 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08734-1

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50+ Research Topics for Psychology Papers

How to Find Psychology Research Topics for Your Student Paper

Specific Branches of Psychology
Topics Involving a Disorder or Type of Therapy
Human Cognition
Human Development
Critique of Publications
Famous Experiments
Historical Figures
Specific Careers
Case Studies
Literature Reviews
Your Own Study/Experiment

Are you searching for a great topic for your psychology paper ? Sometimes it seems like coming up with topics of psychology research is more challenging than the actual research and writing. Fortunately, there are plenty of great places to find inspiration and the following list contains just a few ideas to help get you started.

Finding a solid topic is one of the most important steps when writing any type of paper. It can be particularly important when you are writing a psychology research paper or essay. Psychology is such a broad topic, so you want to find a topic that allows you to adequately cover the subject without becoming overwhelmed with information.

I can always tell when a student really cares about the topic they chose; it comes through in the writing. My advice is to choose a topic that genuinely interests you, so you’ll be more motivated to do thorough research.

In some cases, such as in a general psychology class, you might have the option to select any topic from within psychology's broad reach. Other instances, such as in an abnormal psychology course, might require you to write your paper on a specific subject such as a psychological disorder.

As you begin your search for a topic for your psychology paper, it is first important to consider the guidelines established by your instructor.

Research Topics Within Specific Branches of Psychology

The key to selecting a good topic for your psychology paper is to select something that is narrow enough to allow you to really focus on the subject, but not so narrow that it is difficult to find sources or information to write about.

One approach is to narrow your focus down to a subject within a specific branch of psychology. For example, you might start by deciding that you want to write a paper on some sort of social psychology topic. Next, you might narrow your focus down to how persuasion can be used to influence behavior .

Other social psychology topics you might consider include:

Prejudice and discrimination (i.e., homophobia, sexism, racism)
Social cognition
Person perception
Social control and cults
Persuasion, propaganda, and marketing
Attraction, romance, and love
Nonverbal communication
Prosocial behavior

Psychology Research Topics Involving a Disorder or Type of Therapy

Exploring a psychological disorder or a specific treatment modality can also be a good topic for a psychology paper. Some potential abnormal psychology topics include specific psychological disorders or particular treatment modalities, including:

Eating disorders
Borderline personality disorder
Seasonal affective disorder
Schizophrenia
Antisocial personality disorder
Profile a type of therapy (i.e., cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, psychoanalytic therapy)

Topics of Psychology Research Related to Human Cognition

Some of the possible topics you might explore in this area include thinking, language, intelligence, and decision-making. Other ideas might include:

False memories
Speech disorders
Problem-solving

Topics of Psychology Research Related to Human Development

In this area, you might opt to focus on issues pertinent to early childhood such as language development, social learning, or childhood attachment or you might instead opt to concentrate on issues that affect older adults such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

Some other topics you might consider include:

Language acquisition
Media violence and children
Learning disabilities
Gender roles
Child abuse
Prenatal development
Parenting styles
Aspects of the aging process

Do a Critique of Publications Involving Psychology Research Topics

One option is to consider writing a critique paper of a published psychology book or academic journal article. For example, you might write a critical analysis of Sigmund Freud's Interpretation of Dreams or you might evaluate a more recent book such as Philip Zimbardo's The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil .

Professional and academic journals are also great places to find materials for a critique paper. Browse through the collection at your university library to find titles devoted to the subject that you are most interested in, then look through recent articles until you find one that grabs your attention.

Topics of Psychology Research Related to Famous Experiments

There have been many fascinating and groundbreaking experiments throughout the history of psychology, providing ample material for students looking for an interesting term paper topic. In your paper, you might choose to summarize the experiment, analyze the ethics of the research, or evaluate the implications of the study. Possible experiments that you might consider include:

The Milgram Obedience Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment
The Little Albert Experiment
Pavlov's Conditioning Experiments
The Asch Conformity Experiment
Harlow's Rhesus Monkey Experiments

Topics of Psychology Research About Historical Figures

One of the simplest ways to find a great topic is to choose an interesting person in the history of psychology and write a paper about them. Your paper might focus on many different elements of the individual's life, such as their biography, professional history, theories, or influence on psychology.

While this type of paper may be historical in nature, there is no need for this assignment to be dry or boring. Psychology is full of fascinating figures rife with intriguing stories and anecdotes. Consider such famous individuals as Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner, Harry Harlow, or one of the many other eminent psychologists .

Psychology Research Topics About a Specific Career

Another possible topic, depending on the course in which you are enrolled, is to write about specific career paths within the field of psychology . This type of paper is especially appropriate if you are exploring different subtopics or considering which area interests you the most.

In your paper, you might opt to explore the typical duties of a psychologist, how much people working in these fields typically earn, and the different employment options that are available.

Topics of Psychology Research Involving Case Studies

One potentially interesting idea is to write a psychology case study of a particular individual or group of people. In this type of paper, you will provide an in-depth analysis of your subject, including a thorough biography.

Generally, you will also assess the person, often using a major psychological theory such as Piaget's stages of cognitive development or Erikson's eight-stage theory of human development . It is also important to note that your paper doesn't necessarily have to be about someone you know personally.

In fact, many professors encourage students to write case studies on historical figures or fictional characters from books, television programs, or films.

Psychology Research Topics Involving Literature Reviews

Another possibility that would work well for a number of psychology courses is to do a literature review of a specific topic within psychology. A literature review involves finding a variety of sources on a particular subject, then summarizing and reporting on what these sources have to say about the topic.

Literature reviews are generally found in the introduction of journal articles and other psychology papers , but this type of analysis also works well for a full-scale psychology term paper.

Topics of Psychology Research Based on Your Own Study or Experiment

Many psychology courses require students to design an actual psychological study or perform some type of experiment. In some cases, students simply devise the study and then imagine the possible results that might occur. In other situations, you may actually have the opportunity to collect data, analyze your findings, and write up your results.

Finding a topic for your study can be difficult, but there are plenty of great ways to come up with intriguing ideas. Start by considering your own interests as well as subjects you have studied in the past.

Online sources, newspaper articles, books , journal articles, and even your own class textbook are all great places to start searching for topics for your experiments and psychology term papers. Before you begin, learn more about how to conduct a psychology experiment .

What This Means For You

After looking at this brief list of possible topics for psychology papers, it is easy to see that psychology is a very broad and diverse subject. While this variety makes it possible to find a topic that really catches your interest, it can sometimes make it very difficult for some students to select a good topic.

If you are still stumped by your assignment, ask your instructor for suggestions and consider a few from this list for inspiration.

Hockenbury, SE & Nolan, SA. Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers; 2014.
Santrock, JW. A Topical Approach to Lifespan Development. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2016.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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207 Mental Health Research Topics For Top Students

College and university students pursuing psychology studies must write research papers on mental health in their studies. It is not always an exciting moment for the students since getting quality mental health topics is tedious. However, this article presents expert ideas and writing tips for students in this field. Enjoy!

What Is Mental Health?

It is an integral component of health that deals with the feeling of well-being when one realizes his or her abilities, cope with the pressures of life, and productively work. Mental health also incorporates how humans interact with each other, emote, or think. It is a vital concern of any human life that cannot be neglected.

How To Write Mental Health Research Topics

One should approach the subject of mental health with utmost preciseness. If handled carelessly, cases such as depression, suicide or low self-esteem may occur. That is why students are advised to carefully choose mental health research paper topics for their paper with the mind reader.

To get mental health topics for research paper, you can use the following sources:

The WHO website
Websites of renowned psychology clinics
News reports and headlines.

However, we have a list of writing ideas that you can use for your inspiration. Check them out!

Mental Illness Research Questions

The role of antidepressant medicines in treating mental illnesses
How taxation of alcoholic beverages and their restriction can help in curbing mental illnesses
The impact of mental illnesses on the economic development of a country
Efficient and cost-effective ways of treating mental illnesses
Early childhood interventions to prevent future mental illnesses
Why children from single-parent families are prone to mental illnesses
Do opportunities for early learning have a role in curbing mental diseases?
Life skills programmes that everyone should embrace to fight mental illnesses
The role of nutrition and diet in causing mental illness
How socio-economic empowerment of women can help promote mental health
Practical social support for elderly populations to prevent mental illnesses
How to help vulnerable groups against mental illnesses
Evaluate the effectiveness of mental health promotional activities in schools

Hot Mental Health Topics For Research

Do stress prevention programmes on TV work?
The role of anti-discrimination laws and campaigns in promoting mental health
Discuss specific psychological and personality factors leading to mental disorders
How can biological factors lead to mental problems?
How stressful work conditions can stir up mental health disorders
Is physical ill-health a pivotal contributor to mental disorders today?
Why sexual violence has led many to depression and suicide
The role of life experiences in mental illnesses: A case of trauma
How family history can lead to mental health problems
Can people with mental health problems recover entirely?
Why sleeping too much or minor can be an indicator of mental disorders.
Why do people with mental health problems pull away from others?
Discuss confusion as a sign of mental disorders

Research Topics For Mental Health Counseling

Counselling strategies that help victims cope with the stresses of life
Is getting professional counselling help becoming too expensive?
Mental health counselling for bipolar disorders
How psychological counselling affects victims of mental health disorders
What issues are students free to share with their guiding and counselling masters?
Why are relationship issues the most prevalent among teenagers?
Does counselling help in the case of obsessive-compulsive disorders?
Is counselling a cure to mental health problems?
Why talking therapies are the most effective in dealing with mental disorders
How does talking about your experiences help in dealing with the problem?
Why most victims approach their counsellors feeling apprehensive and nervous
How to make a patient feel comfortable during a counselling session
Why counsellors should not push patients to talk about stuff they aren’t ready to share

Mental Health Law Research Topics

Discuss the effectiveness of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Does the Capacity to Consent to Treatment law push patients to the wall?
Evaluate the effectiveness of mental health courts
Does forcible medication lead to severe mental health problems?
Discuss the institutionalization of mental health facilities
Analyze the Consent to Clinical Research using mentally ill patients
What rights do mentally sick patients have? Are they effective?
Critically analyze proxy decision making for mental disorders
Why some Psychiatric Advance directives are punitive
Discuss the therapeutic jurisprudence of mental disorders
How effective is legal guardianship in the case of mental disorders?
Discuss psychology laws & licensing boards in the United States
Evaluate state insanity defence laws

Controversial Research Paper Topics About Mental Health

Do mentally ill patients have a right to choose whether to go to psychiatric centres or not?
Should families take the elderly to mental health institutions?
Does the doctor have the right to end the life of a terminally ill mental patient?
The use of euthanasia among extreme cases of mental health
Are mental disorders a result of curses and witchcraft?
Do violent video games make children aggressive and uncontrollable?
Should mental institutions be located outside the cities?
How often should families visit their relatives who are mentally ill?
Why the government should fully support the mentally ill
Should mental health clinics use pictures of patients without their consent?
Should families pay for the care of mentally ill relatives?
Do mentally ill patients have the right to marry or get married?
Who determines when to send a patient to a mental health facility?

Mental Health Topics For Discussion

The role of drama and music in treating mental health problems
Explore new ways of coping with mental health problems in the 21 st century
How social media is contributing to various mental health problems
Does Yoga and meditation help to treat mental health complications?
Is the mental health curriculum for psychology students inclusive enough?
Why solving problems as a family can help alleviate mental health disorders
Why teachers can either maintain or disrupt the mental state of their students
Should patients with mental health issues learn to live with their problems?
Why socializing is difficult for patients with mental disorders
Are our online psychology clinics effective in handling mental health issues?
Discuss why people aged 18-25 are more prone to mental health problems
Analyze the growing trend of social stigma in the United States
Are all people with mental health disorders violent and dangerous?

Mental Health Of New Mothers Research Topics

The role of mental disorders in mother-infant bonding
How mental health issues could lead to delays in the emotional development of the infant
The impact of COVID-19 physical distancing measures on postpartum women
Why anxiety and depression are associated with preterm delivery
The role of husbands in attending to wives’ postpartum care needs
What is the effectiveness of screening for postpartum depression?
The role of resilience in dealing with mental issues after delivery
Why marginalized women are more prone to postpartum depression
Why failure to bond leads to mental disorders among new mothers
Discuss how low and middle-income countries contribute to perinatal depression
How to prevent the recurrence of postpartum mental disorders in future
The role of anti-depression drugs in dealing with depression among new mothers
A case study of the various healthcare interventions for perinatal anxiety and mood disorders

What Are The Hot Topics For Mental Health Research Today

Discuss why mental health problems may be a result of a character flaw
The impact of damaging stereotypes in mental health
Why are many people reluctant to speak about their mental health issues?
Why the society tends to judge people with mental issues
Does alcohol and wasting health help one deal with a mental problem?
Discuss the role of bullying in causing mental health disorders among students
Why open forums in school and communities can help in curbing mental disorders
How to build healthy relationships that can help in solving mental health issues
Discuss frustration and lack of understanding in relationships
The role of a stable and supportive family in preventing mental disorders
How parents can start mental health conversations with their children
Analyze the responsibilities of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
The role of a positive mind in dealing with psychological problems

Good Research Topics On Refugees Mental Health

Why do refugees find themselves under high levels of stress?
Discuss the modalities of looking after the mental health of refugees
Evaluate the importance of a cultural framework in helping refugees with mental illnesses
How refugee camp administrators can help identify mental health disorders among refugees
Discuss the implications of dangerous traditional practices
The role of the UNHCR in assisting refugees with mental problems
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder among refugees
Dealing with hopelessness among refugees
The prevalence of traumatic experiences in refugee camps
Does cognitive-behavioural therapy work for refugees?
Discuss the role of policy planning in dealing with refugee-mental health problems
Are psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine effective in refugee camps?
Practical groups and in‐group therapeutic settings for refugee camps

Adolescent Mental Health Research Topics

Discuss why suicide is among the leading causes of death among adolescents
The role of acting-out behaviour or substance use in mental issues among adolescents
Mental effects of unsafe sexual behaviour among adolescents
Psychopharmacologic agents and menstrual dysfunction in adolescents
The role of confidentiality in preventive care visits
Mental health disorders and impairment among adolescents
Why adolescents not in school risk developing mental disorders
Does a clinical model work for adolescents with mental illnesses?
The role of self-worth and esteem in dealing with adolescent mental disorders
How to develop positive relationships with peers
Technology and mental ill-health among adolescents
How to deal with stigma among adolescents
Curriculum that supports young people to stay engaged and motivated

Research Topics For Mental Health And Government

Evaluate mental health leadership and governance in the United States
Advocacy and partnerships in dealing with mental health
Discuss mental health and socio-cultural perspective
Management and coordination of mental health policy frameworks
Roles and responsibilities of governments in dealing with mental health
Monitoring and evaluation of mental health policies
What is the essence of a mental health commission?
Benefits of mental well-being to the prosperity of a country
Necessary reforms to the mental health systems
Legal frameworks for dealing with substance use disorders
How mental health can impede the development of a country
The role of the government in dealing with decaying mental health institutions
Inadequate legislation in dealing with mental health problems

Abnormal Psychology Topics

What does it mean to display strange behaviour?
Role of mental health professionals in dealing with abnormal psychology
Discuss the concept of dysfunction in mental illness
How does deviance relate to mental illness?
Role of culture and social norms
The cost of treating abnormal psychology in the US
Using aversive treatment in abnormal psychology
Importance of psychological debriefing
Is addiction a mental disease?
Use of memory-dampening drugs
Coercive interrogations and psychology

Behavioural Health Issues In Mental Health

Detachment from reality
Inability to withstand daily problems
Conduct disorder among children
Role of therapy in behavioural disorders
Eating and drinking habits and mental health
Addictive behaviour patterns for teenagers in high school
Discuss mental implications of gambling and sex addiction
Impact of maladaptive behaviours on the society
Extreme mood changes
Confused thinking
Role of friends in behavioural complications
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61 intriguing psychology research topics to explore

Last updated

11 January 2024

Reviewed by

Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L

Short on time? Get an AI generated summary of this article instead

Psychology is an incredibly diverse, critical, and ever-changing area of study in the medical and health industries. Because of this, it’s a common area of study for students and healthcare professionals.

We’re walking you through picking the perfect topic for your upcoming paper or study. Keep reading for plenty of example topics to pique your interest and curiosity.

How to choose a psychology research topic

Exploring a psychology-based topic for your research project? You need to pick a specific area of interest to collect compelling data.

Use these tips to help you narrow down which psychology topics to research:

Focus on a particular area of psychology

The most effective psychological research focuses on a smaller, niche concept or disorder within the scope of a study.

Psychology is a broad and fascinating area of science, including everything from diagnosed mental health disorders to sports performance mindset assessments.

This gives you plenty of different avenues to explore. Having a hard time choosing? Check out our list of 61 ideas further down in this article to get started.

Read the latest clinical studies

Once you’ve picked a more niche topic to explore, you need to do your due diligence and explore other research projects on the same topic.

This practice will help you learn more about your chosen topic, ask more specific questions, and avoid covering existing projects.

For the best results, we recommend creating a research folder of associated published papers to reference throughout your project. This makes it much easier to cite direct references and find inspiration down the line.

Find a topic you enjoy and ask questions

Once you’ve spent time researching and collecting references for your study, you finally get to explore.

Whether this research project is for work, school, or just for fun, having a passion for your research will make the project much more enjoyable. (Trust us, there will be times when that is the only thing that keeps you going.)

Now you’ve decided on the topic, ask more nuanced questions you might want to explore.

If you can, pick the direction that interests you the most to make the research process much more enjoyable.

61 psychology topics to research in 2024

Need some extra help starting your psychology research project on the right foot? Explore our list of 61 cutting-edge, in-demand psychology research topics to use as a starting point for your research journey.

Psychology research topics for university students

As a university student, it can be hard to pick a research topic that fits the scope of your classes and is still compelling and unique.

Here are a few exciting topics we recommend exploring for your next assigned research project:

Mental health in post-secondary students

Seeking post-secondary education is a stressful and overwhelming experience for most students, making this topic a great choice to explore for your in-class research paper.

Examples of post-secondary mental health research topics include:

Student mental health status during exam season

Mental health disorder prevalence based on study major

The impact of chronic school stress on overall quality of life

The impacts of cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can occur at all ages, starting as early as elementary school and carrying through into professional workplaces.

Examples of cyberbullying-based research topics you can study include:

The impact of cyberbullying on self-esteem

Common reasons people engage in cyberbullying

Cyberbullying themes and commonly used terms

Cyberbullying habits in children vs. adults

The long-term effects of cyberbullying

Clinical psychology research topics

If you’re looking to take a more clinical approach to your next project, here are a few topics that involve direct patient assessment for you to consider:

Chronic pain and mental health

Living with chronic pain dramatically impacts every aspect of a person’s life, including their mental and emotional health.

Here are a few examples of in-demand pain-related psychology research topics:

The connection between diabetic neuropathy and depression

Neurological pain and its connection to mental health disorders

Efficacy of meditation and mindfulness for pain management

The long-term effects of insomnia

Insomnia is where you have difficulty falling or staying asleep. It’s a common health concern that impacts millions of people worldwide.

This is an excellent topic because insomnia can have a variety of causes, offering many research possibilities.

Here are a few compelling psychology research topics about insomnia you could investigate:

The prevalence of insomnia based on age, gender, and ethnicity

Insomnia and its impact on workplace productivity

The connection between insomnia and mental health disorders

Efficacy and use of melatonin supplements for insomnia

The risks and benefits of prescription insomnia medications

Lifestyle options for managing insomnia symptoms

The efficacy of mental health treatment options

Management and treatment of mental health conditions is an ever-changing area of study. If you can witness or participate in mental health therapies, this can make a great research project.

Examples of mental health treatment-related psychology research topics include:

The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for patients with severe anxiety

The benefits and drawbacks of group vs. individual therapy sessions

Music therapy for mental health disorders

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for patients with depression

Controversial psychology research paper topics

If you are looking to explore a more cutting-edge or modern psychology topic, you can delve into a variety of controversial and topical options:

The impact of social media and digital platforms

Ever since access to internet forums and video games became more commonplace, there’s been growing concern about the impact these digital platforms have on mental health.

Examples of social media and video game-related psychology research topics include:

The effect of edited images on self-confidence

How social media platforms impact social behavior

Video games and their impact on teenage anger and violence

Digital communication and the rapid spread of misinformation

The development of digital friendships

Psychotropic medications for mental health

In recent years, the interest in using psychoactive medications to treat and manage health conditions has increased despite their inherently controversial nature.

Examples of psychotropic medication-related research topics include:

The risks and benefits of using psilocybin mushrooms for managing anxiety

The impact of marijuana on early-onset psychosis

Childhood marijuana use and related prevalence of mental health conditions

Ketamine and its use for complex PTSD (C-PTSD) symptom management

The effect of long-term psychedelic use and mental health conditions

Mental health disorder research topics

As one of the most popular subsections of psychology, studying mental health disorders and how they impact quality of life is an essential and impactful area of research.

While studies in these areas are common, there’s always room for additional exploration, including the following hot-button topics:

Anxiety and depression disorders

Anxiety and depression are well-known and heavily researched mental health disorders.

Despite this, we still don’t know many things about these conditions, making them great candidates for psychology research projects:

Social anxiety and its connection to chronic loneliness

C-PTSD symptoms and causes

The development of phobias

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) behaviors and symptoms

Depression triggers and causes

Self-care tools and resources for depression

The prevalence of anxiety and depression in particular age groups or geographic areas

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a complex and multi-faceted area of psychology research.

Use your research skills to learn more about this condition and its impact by choosing any of the following topics:

Early signs of bipolar disorder

The incidence of bipolar disorder in young adults

The efficacy of existing bipolar treatment options

Bipolar medication side effects

Cognitive behavioral therapy for people with bipolar

Schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is often stigmatized, and less common mental health disorders are a hotbed for new and exciting research.

Here are a few examples of interesting research topics related to this mental health disorder:

The prevalence of schizoaffective disorder by certain age groups or geographic locations

Risk factors for developing schizoaffective disorder

The prevalence and content of auditory and visual hallucinations

Alternative therapies for schizoaffective disorder

Societal and systematic psychology research topics

Modern society’s impact is deeply enmeshed in our mental and emotional health on a personal and community level.

Here are a few examples of societal and systemic psychology research topics to explore in more detail:

Access to mental health services

While mental health awareness has risen over the past few decades, access to quality mental health treatment and resources is still not equitable.

This can significantly impact the severity of a person’s mental health symptoms, which can result in worse health outcomes if left untreated.

Explore this crucial issue and provide information about the need for improved mental health resource access by studying any of the following topics:

Rural vs. urban access to mental health resources

Access to crisis lines by location

Wait times for emergency mental health services

Inequities in mental health access based on income and location

Insurance coverage for mental health services

Systemic racism and mental health

Societal systems and the prevalence of systemic racism heavily impact every aspect of a person’s overall health.

Researching these topics draws attention to existing problems and contributes valuable insights into ways to improve access to care moving forward.

Examples of systemic racism-related psychology research topics include:

Access to mental health resources based on race

The prevalence of BIPOC mental health therapists in a chosen area

The impact of systemic racism on mental health and self-worth

Racism training for mental health workers

The prevalence of mental health disorders in discriminated groups

LGBTQIA+ mental health concerns

Research about LGBTQIA+ people and their mental health needs is a unique area of study to explore for your next research project. It’s a commonly overlooked and underserved community.

Examples of LGBTQIA+ psychology research topics to consider include:

Mental health supports for queer teens and children

The impact of queer safe spaces on mental health

The prevalence of mental health disorders in the LGBTQIA+ community

The benefits of queer mentorship and found family

Substance misuse in LQBTQIA+ youth and adults

Collect data and identify trends with Dovetail

Psychology research is an exciting and competitive study area, making it the perfect choice for projects or papers.

Take the headache out of analyzing your data and instantly access the insights you need to complete your next psychology research project by teaming up with Dovetail today.

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v.12(6); 2020 Jun

Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review

Fazida karim.

1 Psychology, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA

2 Business & Management, University Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, MYS

Azeezat A Oyewande

3 Family Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA

4 Family Medicine, Lagos State Health Service Commission/Alimosho General Hospital, Lagos, NGA

Lamis F Abdalla

5 Internal Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA

Reem Chaudhry Ehsanullah

Safeera khan.

Social media are responsible for aggravating mental health problems. This systematic study summarizes the effects of social network usage on mental health. Fifty papers were shortlisted from google scholar databases, and after the application of various inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 papers were chosen and all papers were evaluated for quality. Eight papers were cross-sectional studies, three were longitudinal studies, two were qualitative studies, and others were systematic reviews. Findings were classified into two outcomes of mental health: anxiety and depression. Social media activity such as time spent to have a positive effect on the mental health domain. However, due to the cross-sectional design and methodological limitations of sampling, there are considerable differences. The structure of social media influences on mental health needs to be further analyzed through qualitative research and vertical cohort studies.

Introduction and background

Human beings are social creatures that require the companionship of others to make progress in life. Thus, being socially connected with other people can relieve stress, anxiety, and sadness, but lack of social connection can pose serious risks to mental health [ 1 ].

Social media

Social media has recently become part of people's daily activities; many of them spend hours each day on Messenger, Instagram, Facebook, and other popular social media. Thus, many researchers and scholars study the impact of social media and applications on various aspects of people’s lives [ 2 ]. Moreover, the number of social media users worldwide in 2019 is 3.484 billion, up 9% year-on-year [ 3 - 5 ]. A statistic in Figure 1 shows the gender distribution of social media audiences worldwide as of January 2020, sorted by platform. It was found that only 38% of Twitter users were male but 61% were using Snapchat. In contrast, females were more likely to use LinkedIn and Facebook. There is no denying that social media has now become an important part of many people's lives. Social media has many positive and enjoyable benefits, but it can also lead to mental health problems. Previous research found that age did not have an effect but gender did; females were much more likely to experience mental health than males [ 6 , 7 ].

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Object name is cureus-0012-00000008627-i01.jpg

Impact on mental health

Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which people understand their abilities, solve everyday life problems, work well, and make a significant contribution to the lives of their communities [ 8 ]. There is debated presently going on regarding the benefits and negative impacts of social media on mental health [ 9 , 10 ]. Social networking is a crucial element in protecting our mental health. Both the quantity and quality of social relationships affect mental health, health behavior, physical health, and mortality risk [ 9 ]. The Displaced Behavior Theory may help explain why social media shows a connection with mental health. According to the theory, people who spend more time in sedentary behaviors such as social media use have less time for face-to-face social interaction, both of which have been proven to be protective against mental disorders [ 11 , 12 ]. On the other hand, social theories found how social media use affects mental health by influencing how people view, maintain, and interact with their social network [ 13 ]. A number of studies have been conducted on the impacts of social media, and it has been indicated that the prolonged use of social media platforms such as Facebook may be related to negative signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress [ 10 - 15 ]. Furthermore, social media can create a lot of pressure to create the stereotype that others want to see and also being as popular as others.

The need for a systematic review

Systematic studies can quantitatively and qualitatively identify, aggregate, and evaluate all accessible data to generate a warm and accurate response to the research questions involved [ 4 ]. In addition, many existing systematic studies related to mental health studies have been conducted worldwide. However, only a limited number of studies are integrated with social media and conducted in the context of social science because the available literature heavily focused on medical science [ 6 ]. Because social media is a relatively new phenomenon, the potential links between their use and mental health have not been widely investigated.

This paper attempt to systematically review all the relevant literature with the aim of filling the gap by examining social media impact on mental health, which is sedentary behavior, which, if in excess, raises the risk of health problems [ 7 , 9 , 12 ]. This study is important because it provides information on the extent of the focus of peer review literature, which can assist the researchers in delivering a prospect with the aim of understanding the future attention related to climate change strategies that require scholarly attention. This study is very useful because it provides information on the extent to which peer review literature can assist researchers in presenting prospects with a view to understanding future concerns related to mental health strategies that require scientific attention. The development of the current systematic review is based on the main research question: how does social media affect mental health?

Research strategy

The research was conducted to identify studies analyzing the role of social media on mental health. Google Scholar was used as our main database to find the relevant articles. Keywords that were used for the search were: (1) “social media”, (2) “mental health”, (3) “social media” AND “mental health”, (4) “social networking” AND “mental health”, and (5) “social networking” OR “social media” AND “mental health” (Table 1 ).

Keyword/Combination of Keyword	Database	Number of Results
“social media”	Google Scholar	877,000
“mental health”	Google Scholar	633,000
“social media” AND “mental health”	Google Scholar	78,000
“social networking” AND “mental health”	Google Scholar	18,600
"social networking "OR "social media" AND "mental health"	Google Scholar	17,000

Out of the results in Table 1 , a total of 50 articles relevant to the research question were selected. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, duplicate papers were removed, and, finally, a total of 28 articles were selected for review (Figure 2 ).

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is cureus-0012-00000008627-i02.jpg

PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Peer-reviewed, full-text research papers from the past five years were included in the review. All selected articles were in English language and any non-peer-reviewed and duplicate papers were excluded from finally selected articles.

Of the 16 selected research papers, there were a research focus on adults, gender, and preadolescents [ 10 - 19 ]. In the design, there were qualitative and quantitative studies [ 15 , 16 ]. There were three systematic reviews and one thematic analysis that explored the better or worse of using social media among adolescents [ 20 - 23 ]. In addition, eight were cross-sectional studies and only three were longitudinal studies [ 24 - 29 ].The meta-analyses included studies published beyond the last five years in this population. Table 2 presents a selection of studies from the review.

IGU, internet gaming disorder; PSMU, problematic social media use

Author	Title of Study	Method	Findings
Berryman et al. [ ]	Social Media Use and Mental Health among Young Adults	Cross-sectional	Social media use was not predictive of impaired mental health functioning.
Coyne et al. [ ]	Does Time Spent using Social Media Impact Mental Health?: An Eight Year Longitudinal Study	8-year longitudinal study	Increased time spent on social media was not associated with increased mental health issues across development when examined at the individual level.
Escobar-Viera et al. [ ]	For Better or for Worse? A Systematic Review of the Evidence on Social Media Use and Depression Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Minorities	Systematic Literature Review	Social media provides a space to disclose minority experiences and share ways to cope and get support; constant surveillance of one's social media profile can become a stressor, potentially leading to depression.
O’Reilly et al. [ ]	Potential of Social Media in Promoting Mental Health in Adolescents	qualitative study	Adolescents frequently utilize social media and the internet to seek information about mental health.
O’Reilly [ ]	Social Media and Adolescent Mental Health: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly	focus groups	Much of the negative rhetoric of social media was repeated by mental health practitioners, although there was some acknowledgement of potential benefit.
Feder et al. [ ]	Is There an Association Between Social Media Use and Mental Health? The Timing of Confounding Measurement Matters	longitudinal	Frequent social media use report greater symptoms of psychopathology.
Rasmussen et al. [ ]	The Serially Mediated Relationship between Emerging Adults’ Social Media Use and Mental Well-Being	Exploratory study	Social media use may be a risk factor for mental health struggles among emerging adults and that social media use may be an activity which emerging adults resort to when dealing with difficult emotions.
Keles et al. [ ]	A Systematic Review: The Influence of Social Media on Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress in Adolescents	systematic review	Four domains of social media: time spent, activity, investment, and addiction. All domains correlated with depression, anxiety and psychological distress.
Nereim et al. [ ]	Social Media and Adolescent Mental Health: Who You Are and What You do Matter	Exploratory	Passive social media use (reading posts) is more strongly associated with depression than active use (making posts).
Mehmet et al. [ ]	Using Digital and Social Media for Health Promotion: A Social Marketing Approach for Addressing Co‐morbid Physical and Mental Health	Intervention	Social marketing digital media strategy as a health promotion methodology. The paper has provided a framework for implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of digital social media campaigns that can help consumers, carers, clinicians, and service planners address the challenges of rural health service delivery and the tyranny of distance,
Odgers and Jensen [ ]	Adolescent Mental Health in the Digital Age: Facts, Fears, and Future Directions	Review	The review highlights that most research to date has been correlational, has focused on adults versus adolescents, and has generated a mix of often conflicting small positive, negative, and null associations.
Twenge and Martin [ ]	Gender Differences in Associations between Digital Media Use and Psychological Well-Being: Evidence from Three Large Datasets	Cross-sectional	Females were found to be addicted to social media as compared with males.
Fardouly et al. [ ]	The Use of Social Media by Australian Preadolescents and its Links with Mental Health	Cross-sectional	Users of YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat reported more body image concerns and eating pathology than non-users, but did not differ on depressive symptoms or social anxiety
Wartberg et al. [ ]	Internet Gaming Disorder and Problematic Social Media Use in a Representative Sample of German Adolescents: Prevalence Estimates, Comorbid Depressive Symptoms, and Related Psychosocial Aspects	Cross-sectional	Bivariate logistic regression analyses showed that more depressive symptoms, lower interpersonal trust, and family functioning were statistically significantly associated with both IGD and PSMU.
Neira and Barber [ ]	Social Networking Site Use: Linked to Adolescents’ Social Self-Concept, Self-Esteem, and Depressed Mood	Cross-sectional	Higher investment in social media (e.g. active social media use) predicted adolescents’ depressive symptoms. No relationship was found between the frequency of social media use and depressed mood.

This study has attempted to systematically analyze the existing literature on the effect of social media use on mental health. Although the results of the study were not completely consistent, this review found a general association between social media use and mental health issues. Although there is positive evidence for a link between social media and mental health, the opposite has been reported.

For example, a previous study found no relationship between the amount of time spent on social media and depression or between social media-related activities, such as the number of online friends and the number of “selfies”, and depression [ 29 ]. Similarly, Neira and Barber found that while higher investment in social media (e.g. active social media use) predicted adolescents’ depressive symptoms, no relationship was found between the frequency of social media use and depressed mood [ 28 ].

In the 16 studies, anxiety and depression were the most commonly measured outcome. The prominent risk factors for anxiety and depression emerging from this study comprised time spent, activity, and addiction to social media. In today's world, anxiety is one of the basic mental health problems. People liked and commented on their uploaded photos and videos. In today's age, everyone is immune to the social media context. Some teens experience anxiety from social media related to fear of loss, which causes teens to try to respond and check all their friends' messages and messages on a regular basis.

On the contrary, depression is one of the unintended significances of unnecessary use of social media. In detail, depression is limited not only to Facebooks but also to other social networking sites, which causes psychological problems. A new study found that individuals who are involved in social media, games, texts, mobile phones, etc. are more likely to experience depression.

The previous study found a 70% increase in self-reported depressive symptoms among the group using social media. The other social media influence that causes depression is sexual fun [ 12 ]. The intimacy fun happens when social media promotes putting on a facade that highlights the fun and excitement but does not tell us much about where we are struggling in our daily lives at a deeper level [ 28 ]. Another study revealed that depression and time spent on Facebook by adolescents are positively correlated [ 22 ]. More importantly, symptoms of major depression have been found among the individuals who spent most of their time in online activities and performing image management on social networking sites [ 14 ].

Another study assessed gender differences in associations between social media use and mental health. Females were found to be more addicted to social media as compared with males [ 26 ]. Passive activity in social media use such as reading posts is more strongly associated with depression than doing active use like making posts [ 23 ]. Other important findings of this review suggest that other factors such as interpersonal trust and family functioning may have a greater influence on the symptoms of depression than the frequency of social media use [ 28 , 29 ].

Limitation and suggestion

The limitations and suggestions were identified by the evidence involved in the study and review process. Previously, 7 of the 16 studies were cross-sectional and slightly failed to determine the causal relationship between the variables of interest. Given the evidence from cross-sectional studies, it is not possible to conclude that the use of social networks causes mental health problems. Only three longitudinal studies examined the causal relationship between social media and mental health, which is hard to examine if the mental health problem appeared more pronounced in those who use social media more compared with those who use it less or do not use at all [ 19 , 20 , 24 ]. Next, despite the fact that the proposed relationship between social media and mental health is complex, a few studies investigated mediating factors that may contribute or exacerbate this relationship. Further investigations are required to clarify the underlying factors that help examine why social media has a negative impact on some peoples’ mental health, whereas it has no or positive effect on others’ mental health.

Conclusions

Social media is a new study that is rapidly growing and gaining popularity. Thus, there are many unexplored and unexpected constructive answers associated with it. Lately, studies have found that using social media platforms can have a detrimental effect on the psychological health of its users. However, the extent to which the use of social media impacts the public is yet to be determined. This systematic review has found that social media envy can affect the level of anxiety and depression in individuals. In addition, other potential causes of anxiety and depression have been identified, which require further exploration.

The importance of such findings is to facilitate further research on social media and mental health. In addition, the information obtained from this study can be helpful not only to medical professionals but also to social science research. The findings of this study suggest that potential causal factors from social media can be considered when cooperating with patients who have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression. Also, if the results from this study were used to explore more relationships with another construct, this could potentially enhance the findings to reduce anxiety and depression rates and prevent suicide rates from occurring.

The content published in Cureus is the result of clinical experience and/or research by independent individuals or organizations. Cureus is not responsible for the scientific accuracy or reliability of data or conclusions published herein. All content published within Cureus is intended only for educational, research and reference purposes. Additionally, articles published within Cureus should not be deemed a suitable substitute for the advice of a qualified health care professional. Do not disregard or avoid professional medical advice due to content published within Cureus.

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, defining mental health literacy: a systematic literature review and educational inspiration.

Journal of Public Mental Health

ISSN : 1746-5729

Article publication date: 2 September 2024

This paper aims to explore how the term “mental health literacy” (MHL) is defined and understand the implications for public mental health and educational interventions.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive search was conducted by searching PubMed, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. Keywords such as “mental health literacy” and “definition” were used. The publication year ranges from 1997 to 2023.

In total, 17 papers met the inclusion criteria. Three distinct themes characterise the definitions of MHL: cognitive understanding; affective empowerment; and behavioural change. In the mental health educational context, inspiration, transformation and practice can be viewed as three stages for curriculum development.

Research limitations/implications

Despite conducting a systematic literature review, there remains the possibility that certain relevant studies may not have been identified. Specifically, the selection criteria prioritise papers that explicitly addressed MHL.

Practical implications

Traditional educational approaches prioritise knowledge dissemination and attitude change; integrating MHL into mental health well-being curriculum advocates for action-oriented intervention to address mental health challenges.

Social implications

Understanding different definitions and concepts in a field can be valuable for consolidating shared understandings, highlighting tensions and contradictions, and enhancing communication among researchers. Ironically, perhaps, the process also highlights the provisional nature of these definitions.

Originality/value

The exploration of MHL with three themes of definitions sheds light on the understanding of this concept. Three core themes in MHL definitions guide future curriculum development. This study underscores the importance of prioritise action-oriented intervention in mental health education, emphasising the need to move beyond knowledge dissemination towards transformative practices that promote holistic mental well-being.

Mental illness
Public health
Psychological well-being
Quality education
Inclusive health
Human health

Zeng, S. , Bailey, R. , Peng, S. and Chen, X. (2024), "Defining mental health literacy: a systematic literature review and educational inspiration", Journal of Public Mental Health , Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-04-2024-0055

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113 Mental Health Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being, yet it is often overlooked or stigmatized in society. Writing about mental health can help raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote understanding and empathy. If you are looking for inspiration for your next mental health essay, here are 113 topic ideas and examples to get you started.

The impact of social media on mental health
The stigma surrounding mental illness in society
How to support a loved one with a mental health condition
The benefits of therapy for mental health
The relationship between physical and mental health
The role of exercise in improving mental health
Mental health in the workplace
The connection between trauma and mental health
The importance of self-care for mental health
Mental health in the elderly population
The impact of substance abuse on mental health
The role of genetics in mental health conditions
The relationship between sleep and mental health
Mental health in the LGBTQ+ community
The effects of chronic stress on mental health
The link between nutrition and mental health
Mental health in children and adolescents
The impact of technology on mental health
The benefits of mindfulness for mental health
Mental health in marginalized communities
The role of medication in treating mental health conditions
Mental health in the military
The connection between mental health and creativity
The impact of climate change on mental health
Mental health in the criminal justice system
The effects of bullying on mental health
The relationship between mental health and homelessness
The role of music therapy in mental health treatment
Mental health in the refugee population
The impact of childhood trauma on adult mental health
The benefits of art therapy for mental health
The effects of social isolation on mental health
The role of spirituality in mental health
Mental health in the immigrant population
The connection between mental health and physical illness
The impact of peer pressure on mental health
The benefits of journaling for mental health
Mental health in the entertainment industry
The relationship between perfectionism and mental health
The effects of social comparison on mental health
The role of pets in improving mental health
Mental health in the age of technology
The connection between mental health and climate change
The impact of social media influencers on mental health
The benefits of volunteering for mental health
Mental health in the education system
The relationship between mental health and addiction
The effects of discrimination on mental health
The role of exercise in preventing mental health conditions
Mental health in the aging population
The connection between mental health and chronic illness
The impact of poverty on mental health
The benefits of group therapy for mental health
The relationship between mental health and personality traits
The effects of childhood neglect on adult mental health
The role of mindfulness in preventing mental health conditions
The connection between mental health and physical health
The impact of social media on body image and mental health
The benefits of cognitive-behavioral therapy for mental health
The relationship between mental health and financial stress
The effects of trauma on mental health
The relationship between mental health and social support

These are just a few ideas to get you started on your mental health essay. Remember, mental health is a complex and multifaceted topic, so feel free to explore different angles and perspectives in your writing. By shedding light on mental health issues, you can help promote understanding, empathy, and support for those who may be struggling.

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Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Choosing a Topic
Developing a Research Question
Determine Keywords
Empirical Articles & Scholarly Sources
Find Articles
Database Search Strategies
Using Google Scholar
Open Educational Resources (OERs)
Evaluate Sources
Cite Sources This link opens in a new window
Annotated Bibliography
Zotero This link opens in a new window

Writing a Literature Review

Synthesis visualization.

Statistics & Assessment
CMH Websites
CMH Organizations

Literature Review Class Activity

Lit review matrix, lit review organizer, lit review worksheet 1, lit review worksheet 2, lit review worksheet 3, lit review template, click on the activity link above, select file > make a copy, complete the activity on your copy, online resources.

Basics of a Literature Review (Merrimack College's Writing Center)

Library Guide to Capstone Literature Reviews: Role of the Literature Review

University of Toronto

This one is customized for Higher Education students, but may be helpful for others.

This page from Walden University gives examples of different types of literature review matrices. A matrix can be very helpful in taking notes and preparing sources for your literature review.

OWL's Literature Reviews

UW - Madison, Writing Center

UNC at Chapel Hill's Literature Reviews

What Is a Literature Review?

A literature review is a survey of scholarly articles, books, or other sources that pertain to a specific topic, area of research, or theory. The literature review offers brief descriptions, summaries, and critical evaluations of each work, and does so in the form of a well-organized essay. Scholars often write literature reviews to provide an overview of the most significant recent literature published on a topic. They also use literature reviews to trace the evolution of certain debates or intellectual problems within a field. Even if a literature review is not a formal part of a research project, students should conduct an informal one so that they know what kind of scholarly work has been done previously on the topic that they have selected.

How Is a Literature Review Different from a Research Paper?

An academic research paper attempts to develop a new argument and typically has a literature review as one of its parts. In a research paper, the author uses the literature review to show how his or her new insights build upon and depart from existing scholarship. A literature review by itself does not try to make a new argument based on original research but rather summarizes, synthesizes, and critiques the arguments and ideas of others, and points to gaps in the current literature. Before writing a literature review, a student should look for a model from a relevant journal or ask the instructor to point to a good example.

Organizing a Literature Review

A successful literature review should have three parts that break down in the following way:

INTRODUCTION

Defines and identifies the topic and establishes the reason for the literature review.
Points to general trends in what has been published about the topic.
Explains the criteria used in analyzing and comparing articles.

BODY OF THE REVIEW

Groups articles into thematic clusters, or subtopics. Clusters may be grouped together chronologically, thematically, or methodologically (see below for more on this).
Proceeds in a logical order from cluster to cluster.
Emphasizes the main findings or arguments of the articles in the student’s own words. Keeps quotations from sources to an absolute minimum.

CONCLUSION

Summarizes the major themes that emerged in the review and identifies areas of controversy in the literature.
Pinpoints strengths and weaknesses among the articles (innovative methods used, gaps in research, problems with theoretical frameworks, etc.).
Concludes by formulating questions that need further research within the topic, and provides some insight into the relationship between that topic and the larger field of study or discipline.

In the four examples of student writing below, only one shows a good example of synthesis: the fourth column, Student D. (Click on the image below to see larger)

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100+ Argumentative Essay Topics on Mental Health | Example & Outline

Argumentative Essay Topics on Mental Health. Mental health is an important and often overlooked topic. In this article, we’ll explore some argumentative essay topics related to mental health .

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Argumentative Essay Topics about Mental Health

1. Is there a connection between mental health and physical health? 2. How does mental illness affect a person’s ability to function in society? 3. What are the most effective treatments for mental illness? 4. Are there any effective prevention strategies for mental illness? 5. What is the relationship between mental health and substance abuse? 6. How does poverty affect mental health? 7. What are the most common mental disorders? 8. What are the consequences of untreated mental illness? 9. What are the risk factors for developing mental illness? 10. How can mental illness be effectively diagnosed?

Working on your Abstract, here are DNP Capstone project Abstract Examples [Outline & How-to]

Read more on Patient Falls Nursing Capstone Project Ideas & Topics with Prompts

Find out more Capstone Project Ideas for Nursing Leadership [50 Topics]

check out 130+ Good nursing capstone project ideas to Write About)

The literature review is one of the most challenging parts of your DNP capstone, here’s How to write a DNP Capstone Project Literature Review

The guidelines include How to write DNP capstone project Methodology Chapter

Argumentative essay topics about depression

1. Depression is a real mental health condition.

2. Depression is more than just feeling sad.

3. Depression can lead to serious physical health problems.

4. Depression is treatable with medication and therapy.

5. People with depression can lead happy, fulfilling lives.

6. Untreated depression can be deadly.

7. Depression is often misunderstood and stigmatized.

8. Depression is not a sign of weakness or a character flaw.

9. Anyone can develop depression, even people who seem to have it all together.

10. There is no single cause of depression, but there are risk factors that can make someone more likely to develop the condition.

Argumentative Essay Topics on Mental Health. Mental health is an important and often overlooked topic. In this article, we’ll explore some argumentative essay topics related to mental health.

Argumentative essay about mental health in schools

1. Mental health should be taught in schools. 2. There should be more support for mental health in schools. 3. Mental health should be taken more seriously in schools. 4. Schools should do more to prevent mental health problems. 5. Schools should do more to help students with mental health problems. 6. Mental health problems are increasing in schools. 7. school counselors are not trained to deal with mental health issues 8. most school don’t have a mental health policy 9. lack of awareness about mental health among school staff 10. stigma and discrimination against mental health patients

Argumentative essay on mental health stigma

Argumentative essay topics about mental health can be very controversial and sensitive. However, there are many people who are open to discussing these topics and raising awareness about mental health. Here are twenty argumentative essay topics about mental health that you can use for your next essay.

1. How does society view mental health? 2. Do we need to break the stigma around mental health? 3. How can we better support those with mental health conditions? 4. What is the link between mental health and addiction? 5. How does trauma affect mental health? 6. What are the most effective treatments for mental health conditions? 7. Are there any natural remedies for mental health conditions? 8. How does diet affect mental health? 9. How does exercise affect mental health? 10. What is the link between sleep and mental health? 11. What are the warning signs of a mental health condition? 12. When should someone seek professional help for a mental health condition? 13. How can family and friends support someone with a mental health condition? 14. What are the most common myths about mental health? 15. How does stigma impact those with mental health conditions?

16. How can we destigmatize mental health? 17. What is the link between mental health and violence? 18. How does mental health affect overall health? 19. What are the most common mental health disorders? 20. What are the most effective treatments for mental health disorders?

Mental health debate topics for students

1. The definition of mental health 2. The different types of mental illness 3. The causes of mental illness 4. The treatments for mental illness 5. The side effects of mental illness 6. The impact of mental illness on society 7. The cost of mental health care 8. Mental health in the workplace 9. Mental health in the media 10. Stigma and discrimination against those with mental illness 11. The impact of trauma on mental health 12. Mental health during pregnancy and postpartum 13. Children’s mental health 14. Geriatric mental health 15. Global perspectives on mental health 16. Religion and mental health 17. Cultural competence in mental health care 18. Social media and mental health 19.Nutrition and mental health

20. Exercise and mental health

Expository essay topics about mental illness

1. How does mental illness affect one’s ability to work? 2. What are the most common types of mental illness? 3. How can mental illness be prevented? 4. What are the most effective treatments for mental illness? 5. How does mental illness impact relationships? 6. What are the financial costs of mental illness? 7. How does stigma affect those with mental illness? 8. What are the most common myths about mental illness? 9. How does mental illness differ from addiction? 10. What are the early warning signs of mental illness?

Debates about mental health

1. The definition of mental health is contested and argued by professionals in the field. 2. Some people argue that mental health is a social construction, while others believe that it is a real and valid medical condition. 3. Mental health is often stigmatized in society, and those who suffer from mental illness are often seen as weak or crazy. 4. Mental health is often viewed as something that can be cured, when in reality it is a lifelong battle for many people. 5. Mental illness is often seen as an individual responsibility to deal with, when in reality it affects not just the individual but also their families and loved ones. 6. It is often said that people with mental illness are not able to function in society, when in fact many people with mental illness are high-functioning individuals. 7. Mental health is often viewed as an all-or-nothing proposition, when in reality there is a spectrum of mental health conditions that range from mild to severe. 8. People with mental illness are often treated differently than other people, and they are often discriminated against. 9. There is a lot of misinformation about mental health, and this leads tomisunderstanding and fear. 10. Mental health is a complex issue, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to addressing it.

Persuasive topics related to mental health

1. The link between mental health and physical health. 2. The benefits of therapy and counseling. 3. The importance of early intervention for mental health issues. 4. The impact of trauma on mental health. 5. The correlation between mental health and substance abuse. 6. The connection between mental health and chronic illness. 7. The relationship between mental health and chronic pain. 8. Mental health in the workplace. 9. Mental health in the military. 10. Mental health in schools. 11. Children’s mental health issues. 12. Teens and mental health issues. 13. Elderly mental health issues. 14. Cultural issues and mental health. 15. Religion and mental health. 16. The stigma of mental illness. 17. Mental health awareness and education. 18. Mental health advocacy. 19. Funding for mental health services. 20. Access to mental health care.

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120+ Unique Mental Health Research Topics To Focus On
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VIDEO

Literature & Mental Health: Introduction
Fabricating in/sanity: who makes madness & who makes us mad?
PubMed and Embase Literature Review 1.0
Mental health matters in the Parliament
What is Literature Review, Literature Review Easy Definitions and Explanation, Literature Review PDF
Taking Part: Role-play in the Design of Therapeutic Systems

COMMENTS

Research Topics & Ideas: Mental Health
These research topic ideas we've covered here serve as thought starters to help you explore different areas within mental health. They are intentionally very broad and open-ended. By engaging with the currently literature in your field of interest, you'll be able to narrow down your focus to a specific research gap.
Mental Health Dissertation Topics & Titles
Best Mental Health Topics for Your Dissertation. Topic 1: Kids and their relatives with cancer: psychological challenges. Topic 2: Hematopoietic device reaction in ophthalmology patient's radiation therapy. Topic 3: Psychological effects of cyberbullying Vs. physical bullying: A counter study. Topic 4: Whether or not predictive processing is ...
300+ Mental Health Research Topics
300+ Mental Health Research Topics. March 26, 2024. by Muhammad Hassan. Mental health is a complex and multi-faceted topic that affects millions of people worldwide. Research into mental health has become increasingly important in recent years, as the global burden of mental illness continues to rise.
250 Mental Health Research Topics to Write Your Paper
Below we've put together a list of good research topics about mental health worth your attention. Take a look and you may find the perfect topic to inspire your next project: Nature vs. Nurture: The origins of emotional wellbeing disturbance. Effectiveness of virtual therapy in treating depression.
60 Best Mental Health Research Paper Topics
Critical Analysis Research Paper Topics in Mental Health. For psychology students looking for effective research paper topics mental health offers many arenas for critical analysis. Here are some good topics to pick from -. Relevance of Freud in modern day psychiatry. Abortion care - the ethics and the procedures to facilitate emotional ...
A scoping review of the literature on the current mental health status
A scoping review of the academic literature on the mental health of physicians and physicians-in-training in North America was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's [] methodological framework.Our review objectives and broad focus, including the general questions posed to conduct the review, lend themselves to a scoping review approach, which is suitable for the analysis of a broader range ...
Mental Health Research Topics: 200 Writing Ideas for You
In this section, we explore various mental health topics, providing insights, strategies, and resources to support individuals on their journey towards mental wellness. ... Review existing literature; Conduct a literature review to explore current research in mental health. Identify gaps, controversies, or areas where further investigation is ...
Mental Health Prevention and Promotion—A Narrative Review
Despite the significance of the topic and a considerable amount of literature on it, a comprehensive review is still lacking that would cover the concept of mental health promotion and prevention and simultaneously discusses various interventions, including the novel techniques delivered across the lifespan, in different settings, and level of ...
A systematic literature review of existing ...
With an increased political interest in school-based mental health education, the dominant understanding and measurement of mental health literacy (MHL) in adolescent research should be critically appraised. This systematic literature review aimed to investigate the conceptualisation and measurement of MHL in adolescent research and the extent of methodological homogeneity in the field for ...
Children and Adolescents Mental Health: A Systematic Review of
Introduction. Childhood and adolescence are critical periods to promote mental health as more than half of mental health problems start at these stages, and many of these persist throughout adult life (Kessler et al., 2005).Currently, this has become a priority as worldwide data shows an increase in the prevalence of mental health issues in childhood and adolescence (de la Barra M, 2009) and ...
50+ Research Topics for Psychology Papers
Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by mental health professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. ... Another possibility that would work well for a number of psychology courses is to do a literature review of a specific topic within psychology. A literature review ...
207 Great Mental Health Research Topics For Students
Conduct disorder among children. Role of therapy in behavioural disorders. Eating and drinking habits and mental health. Addictive behaviour patterns for teenagers in high school. Discuss mental implications of gambling and sex addiction. Impact of maladaptive behaviours on the society. Extreme mood changes.
61 Interesting Psychology Research Topics (2024)
Examples of systemic racism-related psychology research topics include: Access to mental health resources based on race. The prevalence of BIPOC mental health therapists in a chosen area. The impact of systemic racism on mental health and self-worth. Racism training for mental health workers.
Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review
Abstract. Social media are responsible for aggravating mental health problems. This systematic study summarizes the effects of social network usage on mental health. Fifty papers were shortlisted from google scholar databases, and after the application of various inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 papers were chosen and all papers were ...
Defining mental health literacy: a systematic literature review and
This paper aims to explore how the term "mental health literacy" (MHL) is defined and understand the implications for public mental health and educational interventions.,An extensive search was conducted by searching PubMed, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. Keywords such as "mental health literacy" and "definition" were used.
The Impacts of Employee Mental Health in The Workplace: A Literature Review
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of employee mental health. The research method is by reviewing 50 articles selected and screened based on key findings. This research reveals ...
113 Mental Health Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
Writing about mental health can help raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote understanding and empathy. If you are looking for inspiration for your next mental health essay, here are 113 topic ideas and examples to get you started. The impact of social media on mental health. The stigma surrounding mental illness in society.
170 Best Literature Review Topics For Effective Writing
Literature Review Topics. 1. The impact of childhood trauma on adult mental health. This topic will explore the lasting effects of childhood trauma on psychological well-being in adulthood, including the development of disorders such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. 2.
Literature Review
A literature review is a survey of scholarly articles, books, or other sources that pertain to a specific topic, area of research, or theory. The literature review offers brief descriptions, summaries, and critical evaluations of each work, and does so in the form of a well-organized essay. Scholars often write literature reviews to provide an ...
The Impact of Mental Health Issues on Academic Achievement in High
found mental health concerns can cause a student to have difficulty in school. with poor academic performance, even chronic absenteeism, and disciplinary. concerns. Weist (2005) notes that in the prior two decades, "school mental health. programs have increased due to the recognition of the crisis in children's mental.
100+ Argumentative Essay Topics on Mental Health
7. school counselors are not trained to deal with mental health issues. 8. most school don't have a mental health policy. 9. lack of awareness about mental health among school staff. 10. stigma and discrimination against mental health patients. Argumentative Essay Topics on Mental Health.
Guidelines for the Use of Literature Reviews in Master's Theses in
Supervisors should designate or guide students to identify a review topic using supporting literature. This includes a brief search of the empirical literature and published reviews to identify knowledge gaps. ... Heshmati A., Honkaniemi H., Juárez S. P. (2023). The effect of parental leave on parents' mental health: A systematic review. The ...

Research Topics Ideas: Mental Health

Overview: Mental Health Topic Ideas

Mood Disorders

Anxiety Disorders

Psychotic Disorders

Personality Disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Eating Disorders

Substance-Related Disorders

Choosing A Research Topic

Find The Perfect Research Topic

How To Choose A Research Topic: 5 Key Criteria

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Mental Health Dissertation Topics & Titles

List Of Trending Mental Health Research Topics & Ideas

Latest Mental Health Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: An assessment of the Influence of Parents' Divorce or Separation on Adolescent Children in terms of long-term psychological impact.

Topic 2: An investigation of the impact of Trauma and Health-related quality of life on the Mental health and Self-worth of a child.

Topic 3: Assessing the effect of Psychological training on males suffering from Post-Surgery Anxiety in the UK.

Topic 4: Investigating the Relationship between Mental illness and Suicides- A case study of UK's Young Adults.

Topic 5: Examining the behaviour of Mental Health Nurses taking care of Schizophrenia Patients in the UK.

COVID-19 Mental Health Research Topics

Topic 2: Mental health and psychological resilience during COVID-19

Topic 3: The mental health of children and families during COVID-19

Topic 4: Mental wellbeing of patients during the Coronavirus pandemic

Best Mental Health Topics for Your Dissertation

Topic 2: Hematopoietic device reaction in ophthalmology patient’s radiation therapy

Topic 3: Psychological effects of cyberbullying Vs. physical bullying: A counter study

Topic 4: Whether or not predictive processing is a theory of perceptual consciousness?

Topic 5: Importance of communication in a relationship

Topic 6: Eating and personality disorders

Topic 7: Analysis of teaching, assessment, and evaluation of students and learning differences

Topic 8: Social and psychological effects of virtual networks

Topic 9: The role of media in provoking aggression

Mental Health Topics for Your Dissertation For Research

Topic 2: The contemporary practical management approach to treating personality disorders

Topic 3: How is Prozac being used in the modern-day to treat self-diagnosed depression?

Topic 4: Are women more prone to suffer from mental disorders than men: A Comparative analysis

Topic 5: The impact of breakups on the mental health of men?

Topic 6: A theoretical analysis of the Impact of emotional attachment on mental health?

Topic 7: How do social media friendships contribute to poor mental health?

Topic 8: What role do parents play in ensuring the mental well-being of their children?

Topic 9: A study on the mental health of soldiers returning from Iraq?

Topic 10: How the contemporary media practices in the UK are leading to mental health problems?

Topic 11: What is the impact of television advertising on the mental development of children in the UK?

Topic 12: How deteriorating mental health can have an Impact on physical health?

Topic 13: The relationship between unemployment and mental health

Topic 14: The mental health problems of prisoners in the United Kingdom

Topic 15: Mental well-being of industry workers in China

Topic 16: Is the provision of mental health care services in the United Kingdom effective?

Topic 17: What are the mental health problems that minorities in the United Kingdom face?

Topic 18: The impact the Coronavirus has had on the mental health of the Chinese people

Topic 19: How to create change in mental health organisations in China?

Topic 20: Addressing the mental health concerns of the Syrian refugees in the UK

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