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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. |
