Association between mental health literacy and formal help-seeking behaviors among students from the Palestinian-Arab minority in Israel

Mental health problems are common among higher education students, yet formal help-seeking rates remain low. Mental health literacy (MHL) is crucial in facilitating help-seeking, but its relationship with formal help-seeking behaviors among ethnic minority students is poorly understood. This study explored MHL among Palestinian minority students in Israel using Jorm's framework, examining the association between each MHL dimension and formal help-seeking. It also investigated information-seeking methods and their relations to actual help-seeking.

129 Palestinian students completed measures of MHL, formal help-seeking, information-seeking methods, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Participants reported average or above-average levels on all MHL dimensions. Compared to those who did not report actual formal help-seeking, those who did have significantly higher levels of MHL on all dimensions, except for the ability to recognize disorders. The three dimensions - knowledge of risk factors and causes; knowledge of where to seek information; and attitudes that promote recognition or appropriate help-seeking behavior – were found to be significant determinants of formal help-seeking behaviors. Online information-seeking was an important determinant of formal help-seeking. This study supports the association between MHL and formal help-seeking behaviors, even among students from ethnic minorities. Interventions targeting MHL could enhance help-seeking behaviors in this population. This study underlines the crucial role of the Internet in minority students' lives in the context of mental health, similar to its importance in other areas of their lives. They also identify key areas for psychiatric mental health nursing to focus on for more effective education and interventions tailored to minority student populations.