Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42332651›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2026

Mental health literacy in youth: a quasi-experimental comparison of a reusable learning object in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

Nasriah Zakaria, Nik Daliana Nik Farid, Haslina Muhamad, Nurul Fazmidar Mohd Noor, Eylia Nurwani Ab Razak, Amen Bawazir, Amal Mohsen, Sheena Yin Xin Tiong, Durrah Mofta

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Nasriah ZakariaDepartment of Computer Science and Information Systems, College of Applied Science, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. nzakaria@um.edu.sa.
Nik Daliana Nik FaridFaculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Haslina MuhamadFaculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Nurul Fazmidar Mohd NoorFaculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Eylia Nurwani Ab RazakEhealth Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Amen BawazirCollege of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Amal MohsenCollege of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Sheena Yin Xin TiongInstitute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Durrah MoftaDepartment of Computer Science and Information Systems, College of Applied Science, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress are significant public health concerns, affecting 10-20% of adolescents globally. In Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, youth mental health issues are growing, yet Mental Health Literacy remains low. MHL encompasses recognizing mental disorders, seeking appropriate help, and understanding treatment options. Reusable Learning Objects (RLO), offer a promising solution to provide evidence-based education. However, studies on the effectiveness of RLO in different cultural settings are limited. This study employed a protocol of a cross-country comparison study aimed at evaluating the potential effectiveness of RLO in supporting Mental Health Literacy among youth in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

methodsA quasi-experimental design was employed among youth aged 16-24 years in two cities, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. RLO was developed using the ASPIRE methodology, and a validated English and Arabic MHL questionnaire was used in the study. Participants were assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group engaged with RLOs, while the control group completed the questionnaire without RLO exposure. Data were collected at baseline and post-intervention. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared baseline and post-intervention scores within groups, while Mann-Whitney U tests compared post-intervention change scores between countries.

resultsWilcoxon signed-rank analyses revealed significant improvements in MHL among participants in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. In Saudi Arabia, improvements were observed across all domains, including a reduction in erroneous beliefs (p = .021). Mann-Whitney U tests showed that Malaysian participants achieved greater gains in mental health disorder knowledge (p < .001) and overall MHL (p = .002) compared to Saudi Arabian participants, with small-to-medium effect sizes. In Malaysia, large gains were found in mental health disorder knowledge, help-seeking/first aid skill, self-help strategies, and total MHL (p < .001), whereas changes in erroneous beliefs were not significant.

conclusionsThese findings highlight the promise of scalable, interactive RLOs for enhancing youth MHL in diverse cultural contexts, informing national digital mental health promotion strategies, school curricula integration, and policies to reduce stigma and improve early help-seeking in resource-constrained settings.

Indexed as

Health LiteracyMental DisordersMental HealthAdolescentFemaleHumansMalaysiaMaleNon-Randomized Controlled Trials as TopicSaudi ArabiaSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultDigital health educationMental health literacyReusable learning objectsYouth

Identifiers

PMID42332651
PMCPMC13625443

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.