Home⇛International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research⇛vol. 6 no. 8 (2025)

Mental Health Literacy among Health Sciences Students: A Causal-Comparative Study

Mharc Justine M. Gungon | Allysa Denise G. Gamit | Kimberly S. Lacap | Robert V. Generalo | Jerald Q. Vergara | Kimberly Ann S. Cantilero

Discipline: Childhood and Youth Studies

 

Abstract:

This study examined mental health literacy (MHL), defined as the knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders that facilitate individu-als' recognition, management, and prevention of such conditions. This study recruited 326 undergraduate health sciences students from a pri-vate university in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines. A causal-comparative design was employed, utilizing the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) to assess students’ knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking behaviors related to mental well-being. An independent samples t-test revealed no significant difference in MHL scores be-tween female students (M = 123.00, SD = 12.40) and male students (M = 122.00, SD = 13.40), t(324) = 0.812, p = .417, Cohen’s d = 0.09, indi-cating a negligible effect size. However, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated a statistically significant difference in MHL based on academic programs, F(3, 122) = 5.96, p < .001. Tukey’s post hoc com-parisons showed that psychology students (M = 127.00, SD = 12.70) had significantly higher MHL scores than students in nursing (p < .001) and medical laboratory science (p = .004), but not pharmacy (p = .60). These findings suggest that while sex assigned at birth does not signif-icantly influence MHL, academic exposure does. The results highlight the importance of integrating mental health literacy into all health sci-ences curricula to equip future healthcare professionals with the com-petencies necessary to support mental well-being in both personal and clinical contexts. This fosters sustainable well-being and strengthens the resilience and responsiveness of the healthcare system.



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