ArticleHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2026
Attitudes, Help-Seeking Barriers, and Predictors of Intention to Use Telemental Health Services Among University Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Abstract
backgroundMental health concerns are notably common among students attending universities in Saudi Arabia, and low engagement with psychological services has been widely documented in this population group. Telemental health has emerged as a promising alternative under Vision 2030's digital transformation agenda, although the determinants of university students' intentions to use these services have received limited empirical attention in Saudi Arabia.
objectiveThis study examined attitudes toward telemental health services, perceived barriers to seeking psychological help, and predictors of behavioral intentions to use telemental health services among university students in Saudi Arabia, based on the Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior.
methodsA cross-sectional design was employed using an online, self-administered questionnaire. A total of 236 undergraduate students from three large universities in Riyadh were recruited using convenience sampling methods. We examined demographic variables, telemental health attitude variables (ease of use, usefulness, subjective norms, trust in telemental health, relative advantage, intentions, and attitudes), and barrier subscales (fear of stigma, trust in mental health professionals, difficulties in self-disclosure, perceived devaluation, and lack of knowledge) among university students. Descriptive statistics, Welch's
resultsParticipants demonstrated moderately positive attitudes toward telemental health (M = 74.15, SD = 16.11) and reported moderate overall barriers (M = 50.76, SD = 14.44), with trust in mental health professionals being the most prominent barrier. The regression model explained 58.0% of the variance in behavioral intentions (F(19, 211) = 15.35,
conclusionsCulturally tailored awareness campaigns, trust-building communication, and gender-sensitive service design are recommended to promote the adoption of telemental health by Saudi university students. These efforts align with Vision 2030's digital health priorities and may support the equitable expansion of mental healthcare access in this population.
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