College students' utilization of the Internet to search for mental health information: Effects on mental health literacy, stigma, and help-seeking.

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Journal of American College Health Pub Date : 2024-09-20 DOI:10.1080/07448481.2024.2404948

Erica K Yuen, Cynthia E Gangi, Kathleen Barakat, Forrest Harrison

{"title":"College students' utilization of the Internet to search for mental health information: Effects on mental health literacy, stigma, and help-seeking.","authors":"Erica K Yuen, Cynthia E Gangi, Kathleen Barakat, Forrest Harrison","doi":"10.1080/07448481.2024.2404948","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Objective: The current study examined how college students search online for mental health information and the impact of these searches on mental health literacy, stigma, and help-seeking.Method: Undergraduate participants (N = 270; Fall 2015 to Spring 2019) were randomly assigned to search online for information about coping with anxiety for themselves or a friend (experimental activity), or to utilize Google Maps to answer navigational questions (control).Results: Participants who conducted an online search demonstrated greater mental health literacy including optimism about psychotherapy, and lower levels of certain types of stigma, but lower willingness to seek/recommend professional help. Participants were more likely to recommend professional help for a friend compared to themselves.Conclusions: Online searches for mental health information have the potential to increase mental health literacy. Universities can harness the Internet to reduce help-seeking barriers but should also address when it is appropriate to engage in self-help versus seek professional help.","PeriodicalId":14900,"journal":{"name":"Journal of American College Health","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of American College Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2024.2404948","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective: The current study examined how college students search online for mental health information and the impact of these searches on mental health literacy, stigma, and help-seeking.

Method: Undergraduate participants (N = 270; Fall 2015 to Spring 2019) were randomly assigned to search online for information about coping with anxiety for themselves or a friend (experimental activity), or to utilize Google Maps to answer navigational questions (control).

Results: Participants who conducted an online search demonstrated greater mental health literacy including optimism about psychotherapy, and lower levels of certain types of stigma, but lower willingness to seek/recommend professional help. Participants were more likely to recommend professional help for a friend compared to themselves.

Conclusions: Online searches for mental health information have the potential to increase mental health literacy. Universities can harness the Internet to reduce help-seeking barriers but should also address when it is appropriate to engage in self-help versus seek professional help.

查看原文本刊更多论文

大学生利用互联网搜索心理健康信息：对心理健康知识、耻辱感和寻求帮助的影响。

研究目的本研究探讨了大学生如何在网上搜索心理健康信息，以及这些搜索对心理健康素养、耻辱感和求助的影响：本科生参与者（N = 270；2015 年秋季至 2019 年春季）被随机分配到网上为自己或朋友搜索有关应对焦虑的信息（实验活动），或利用谷歌地图回答导航问题（对照组）：进行在线搜索的参与者表现出更高的心理健康素养，包括对心理治疗的乐观态度，以及较低的某些类型的耻辱感，但寻求/推荐专业帮助的意愿较低。与自己相比，参与者更愿意为朋友推荐专业帮助：结论：在线搜索心理健康信息具有提高心理健康素养的潜力。大学可以利用互联网来减少寻求帮助的障碍，但同时也应考虑到何时适合进行自助而不是寻求专业帮助。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Journal of American College Health Multiple-

CiteScore

5.40

自引率

12.50%

发文量

388

期刊介绍： Binge drinking, campus violence, eating disorders, sexual harassment: Today"s college students face challenges their parents never imagined. The Journal of American College Health, the only scholarly publication devoted entirely to college students" health, focuses on these issues, as well as use of tobacco and other drugs, sexual habits, psychological problems, and guns on campus, as well as the students... Published in cooperation with the American College Health Association, the Journal of American College Health is a must read for physicians, nurses, health educators, and administrators who are involved with students every day.