The Relationship Between Mental Health Literacy, Overall Adaptation and Mental Health of University Freshers [Letter]

Dear editor

I have read a research article entitled “The Relationship Between Mental Health Literacy, Overall Adaptation and Mental Health of University Freshers” by Song et al.¹ I congratulate the authors on this successful article and make some contributions. There are three strengths of this study: 1) This research provides valuable insight into the relationship between mental health literacy (MHL) and mental health (MH) among first-year college students, highlighting how improving MHL can lead to better MH outcomes. 2) This research shows the importance of tailored mental health education programs and counselling services to improve overall adaptation and MH among first-year college students. 3) This research can provide input for university policies and practices aimed at improving new students’ mental health and adaptation, potentially resulting in better academic and personal outcomes.

However, I identified two limitations of this study that need to be addressed in future research: 1) Reliance on self-provided information can create a tendency toward social desirability and does not always accurately reflect true psychological problems. To overcome this challenge, it is recommended that the diagnosis be made through a professional interview to ensure accuracy and depth of understanding of the psychological condition being faced.^2,3 2) This study implemented a cross-sectional research design, which has limitations in establishing cause-and-effect relationships between variables and does not reflect changes in mental health literacy (MHL) and mental health (MH) over time. To overcome this challenge, it is recommended that future research adopt a longitudinal design. With this approach, data can be collected at multiple points, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamic relationships between variables and enabling analysis of the development of mental health literacy and mental health over time.⁴

Overall, this study offers a comprehensive view of factors influencing mental health among first-year college students and provides a foundation for developing targeted interventions, educational programs, and further research.