The effect of Instagram usage for seeking mental health information and emotional support on help seeking attitudes via mental health awareness

This research aims to examine the role of the Instagram (IG) platform in shaping users_ perceptions towards help-seeking among university students in Malaysia, who are mostly active IG users and claimed to have stigma towards seeking mental help. Using the survey research method, data were collected using an online questionnaire. Purposive sampling was employed involving 364 undergraduate students at two universities in Perak, namely Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) and MARA University of Technology (UiTM). Descriptive Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling Analysis were carried out to answer the research questions and draw conclusions for the research. The results showed a moderate level of IG usage for seeking mental health information and emotional support, a high level of mental health awareness, and positive help-seeking attitudes among the students. It was also found that IG usage for seeking mental health information had an indirect effect on helpseeking attitudes via the mediation effect of mental health awareness, while IG usage for seeking emotional support had a direct effect on help-seeking attitudes but was not mediated by mental health awareness. Based on the findings it can be concluded that Instagram usage can have positive effects towards help seeking attitudes through mediation of mental health awareness. The study contributes by providing two important insights. First it describes ways how to promote accounts, gain more followers and spread mental health awareness among university students in Malaysia. Second, it provides students with the knowledge of how social media can be used to learn more about mental health, and reduce their stigma about help-seeking.