The Relationship Between Mental Health Literacy and Professional Help-Seeking Behavior among University Students in Digital Media Environments

Abstract

University students increasingly understand psychological distress on social media, search engines, online forums and university portals but professional services are under-utilised. This study tested whether mental health literacy (MHL) influences professional help-seeking intention and past-year professional service contact, and whether self-stigma and conditions of digital information account for that influence. We did a cross-sectional study with a questionnaire survey of 428 university students. We included the Mental Health Literacy Scale, items about professional sources in the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, past-year professional service contact, self-stigma, psychological distress, digital information credibility and information overload. Mental health literacy was positively associated with intention (r = 0.501) and contact (r = 0.297). In adjusted analyses, mental health literacy was associated with stronger intention (β 0.385, p < 0.001) and with a higher probability of contact (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.22-2.19). Partial explaining variables of the MHL-intention association were self-stigma, while credible information increased intention and information overload reduced it. Intention independently predicted contact but the digital variables did not, predicting an intention–behaviour gap. Universities need to combine digital literacy, stigma-reduction and direct services navigation.