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Development, expert validation, and pilot testing of digital mental health literacy program for Filipino college students.

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Τίτλος: Development, expert validation, and pilot testing of digital mental health literacy program for Filipino college students.
Συγγραφείς: Mananggit MAC; Behavioral Science Research Institute, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand.; Science City of Muñoz, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines., Intarakamhang U; Behavioral Science Research Institute, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand. ungsinun@g.swu.ac.th., Mohan KP; Behavioral Science Research Institute, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand., Ledesma A; Science City of Muñoz, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines., Collado J; Science City of Muñoz, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines., Laureta KP; Science City of Muñoz, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines., Balmilero-Pelagio JK; Science City of Muñoz, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines., Pararuan RAV; Science City of Muñoz, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines., Reyes-Colar FF; Science City of Muñoz, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines., Bustos IG; Science City of Muñoz, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines., Santos JC; Science City of Muñoz, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija, Philippines.
Πηγή: BMC psychology [BMC Psychol] 2026 May 05; Vol. 14 (1). Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 May 05.
Τύπος έκδοσης: Journal Article; Validation Study
Γλώσσα: English
Στοιχεία περιοδικού: Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101627676 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2050-7283 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 20507283 NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Psychol Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: London : BioMed Central, [2013]-
Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): Health Literacy*/methods , Students*/psychology , Mental Health*/education , Program Development*, Humans ; Philippines ; Pilot Projects ; Female ; Universities ; Young Adult ; Male ; Digital Health ; Adult
Περίληψη: Background: The growing number of mental health problems globally and in the Philippines, particularly among young adults, demands not just low-cost but effective and science-based interventions. This was especially needed in places where traditional mental health interventions were not easily accessible. This study reported the conceptualization, expert validation, and piloting feasibility and usability of a digital mental health literacy program for Filipino college students.
Methods: The development of the program was composed of three distinct but connected phases using the methodological framework of the Theory of Change model. Phase 1involved the development of program through the collaboration of university-based mental health professionals. The program was grounded in a causal model of the relationship between mental health literacy, help-seeking behavior, and psychological well-being among Filipino college students, and the mental health literacy framework of Anthony Jorm [1]. In phase 2, experts in the field validated the program's content using a researcher-made survey questionnaire. Phase 3 is pilot testing of the program to 10 participants; a focus group discussion was conducted to document user experiences, feasibility and usability of the program.
Results: The program was a 12-module program with a 6-week duration and integrated three key digital components: psychoeducational videos, online group forums, and self-help modules. Thematic analysis was used in focus group discussions with 10 participants of the pilot study. Expert validation indicated high levels of content relevance and clarity, suggesting strong alignment with the objectives of the program. Three themes emerged in the thematic analysis of the focus group discussion: enhanced self-awareness, perceived program efficacy, usability, and barriers to engagement. Participants reported improved awareness and vocabulary regarding mental and emotional health due to its structured design. Participants also described the platform of the program as user-friendly, particularly appreciating its web-based and mobile app availability. On the other hand, recommendations for improvements were also identified, such as increasing the duration of the program, adding more personalized and interactive features, and ensuring the availability of peer support.
Conclusion: The findings provided preliminary evidence on the feasibility and usability of the digital mental health literacy program for Filipino college students. The pilot results indicated strong potential for implementation and further testing. Future studies with larger samples and more rigorous research designs were needed to examine the effectiveness of the program on mental health outcomes such as help-seeking behavior and psychological well-being.
(© 2026. The Author(s).)
Competing Interests: Declarations: During the initial preparation of this work, the authors confirmed that no generative AI tools were used in this manuscript. During the revisions, Quill Bot was used to check and correct the grammar, as well as to paraphrase some of the statements in this paper. After using this tool/service, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the content of the published article. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study received approval from the Ethics Committee of Srinakharinwirot University (SWUEC Protocol Code: SWUEC-672291) and the Ethics Review Committee of Central Luzon State University (ERC Code: 2024-431). The participants in pilot testing were given study information packs that included an invitation letter, information sheets, a permission form, and contact details of the researchers and program facilitators. Before the online group discussion via Zoom conference, the participants received orientation on data privacy and their rights as participants. The participants also provided written informed consent for the focus group discussion in phase 3. All procedures involving human participants were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki (2013). Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
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Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Digital mental health literacy program; Help-seeking behavior; Mental health literacy; Program development; Psychological well-being; Theory of change
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260505 Date Completed: 20260710 Latest Revision: 20260726
Update Code: 20260726
PubMed Central ID: PMC13352822
DOI: 10.1186/s40359-026-04695-z
PMID: 42087244
Βάση Δεδομένων: MEDLINE
Περιγραφή
ISSN:2050-7283
DOI:10.1186/s40359-026-04695-z