ArticleBMC psychology2025
Culturally responsive assessment of help-seeking behavior among university students: a mediation-moderation analysis of cultural norms, mental health stigma, and digital engagement across cross-cultural contexts.
Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Psychology of Fair Assessment: Mindfulness, Mental Health, and Grading Bias Among Senior High School Teachers in Ghana.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
- Help-Seeking Intentions and Preferred Sources for Mental Health Problems Among University Students in Saudi Arabia.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Mental health and depression as mediators between social media use screen time and academic integrity among tertiary students in Ghana.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Awareness, utility and preferences of campus-based mental health services at tertiary institutions in Harare, Zimbabwe: A cross-sectional study.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Prevalence and determinants of academic burnout among undergraduates in a traditional Chinese medicine university: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Physical activity and depressive symptoms among Chinese university students: Grit as a mediator.PloS one · 2026Article
- Development and validation of a flow state scale for healthcare professionals.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Associations between social support and help-seeking intention regarding music performance anxiety among Chinese music students: mediation via resilience and self-compassion.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
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3 authors.
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Abstract
Help-seeking behavior for mental health issues among university students is shaped by cultural norms, stigma, and digital engagement. In many African contexts, cultural perceptions of mental illness remain highly stigmatized, posing barriers to seeking support. This study examined the mediating role of mental health stigma and the moderating effect of digital engagement in the relationship between cultural norms and help-seeking behavior among Ghanaian university students. A cross-sectional quantitative design using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed, with data from 1,067 students across five traditional public universities. Findings revealed that cultural norms significantly increased mental health stigma (β = 0.420, p < .001), which in turn reduced help-seeking behavior (β = -0.370, p < .001). A direct negative effect of cultural norms on help-seeking behavior was also observed (β = -0.210, p < .001). The indirect effect through stigma was significant (β = -0.155, p < .001), confirming the mediating role of stigma. Digital engagement moderated both the direct and indirect relationships. Specifically, it weakened the negative impact of stigma on help-seeking (β = 0.125, p = .002) and buffered the effect of cultural norms (β = 0.098, p = .005). Moderated mediation analysis further showed that digital engagement acted as a protective factor: stronger mediation was observed at lower levels of digital engagement (β = -0.198, p < .001) and weaker mediation at higher levels (β = -0.082, p < .001). These findings underscore the complex interplay of cultural and technological factors in mental health behaviors. The study highlights the need for culturally responsive mental health interventions and supports the integration of digital tools to reduce stigma and enhance help-seeking among university students.
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