College Students’ eMental Health Literacy and Risk of Diagnosis with Mental Health Disorders

Abstract

Background: This study investigated college students’ eMental health literacy (eMHL), knowledge of common mental disorders and risk of being diagnosed with a mental health disorder and compared their knowledge of mental disorders and concurrent risk of diagnosis with high and low eMHL; Method: A total of 123 college students completed an online survey through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests; Results: eMental health literacy scores were higher when students had a history of prior mental health problems, were female, and graduate students. College students with high eMHL were more likely to recognize symptoms, recommend professional help, and be at lower risk for common mental health disorders compared to low eMHL students; Conclusions: eMHL was associated with mental health status and demographic variables. Level of eMHL was associated with knowledge of mental disorders and risk of diagnosis. Implications: The results highlight the need for targeted interventions to enhance eMHL of college students, support mental health resilience and prevent mental health disorders.