BACKGROUND The numerous mental health awareness campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic have shifted our understanding and perception of mental health OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to evaluate predictors of mental health literacy, meaning one’s knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders. We evaluate whether digital health literacy, empathy, and mentalizing contribute to mental health literacy METHODS Our sample consisted of 89 healthcare major students, aged between 17 and 32, studying at a university in Lebanon. Using the Mental Health Literacy Scale for Healthcare Students (MHLS-HS), the eHealth Literacy Questionnaire (eHLQ), the Basic Empathy Scale (BES), and the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8). RESULTS Multiple regression analyses revealed that digital health literacy constituted a predictor of mental health literacy. While empathy and mentalizing did not directly predict mental health literacy, they were found to predict components of mental health literacy. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to evaluate digital health literacy, empathy, and mentalizing as predictors of mental health literacy in Lebanon, a country where mental health is still considered taboo. Moreover, this study is the first to evaluate the positive impact of digital health literacy during the digital era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Culture-specific implications are discussed at multiple levels.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.