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January 17, 2026
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April 14, 2026
Published
April 30, 2026
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Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between media literacy and mental health awareness among university students in Bangladesh. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 university students of four public universities in Bangladesh. The data has been collected using a structured format of a questionnaire that measures media consumption behaviors, literacy skills, and mental health awareness levels of participants. The findings indicate that students with stronger media literacy skills demonstrate a greater ability to recognize inaccurate information, critically interpret media representations of mental health, and develop more informed attitudes toward mental health issues. The results also reveal a positive association between media literacy competencies and students’ awareness of mental health problems as well as their acceptance of non-stigmatizing portrayals of mental illness in media content. In addition, the study highlights that although students frequently engage with digital media platforms, their ability to critically evaluate mental health portrayals in media varies depending on their level of media literacy. These findings contribute to existing literature by providing empirical evidence from the Bangladeshi context, where research examining the relationship between media literacy and mental health awareness remains limited.

Keywords

Media literacy media influence media consumption pattern mental health awareness university students

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Copyright (c) 2026 Md. Shahidul Haque, Mr.

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Author Biographies

Md. Shafiuzzaman, Department of Communication and Journalism, Faculty of Social Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Md. Shafiuzzaman is pursuing his Master's in Communication & Journalism at the University of Chittagong in Bangladesh. He holds his Bachelor's degree in the same field from the University of Chittagong. Apart from academics, he is associated with organizations which work on higher education and research. His area of interest includes Digital media Literacy & its Impact on Public Discussions & Health Outcomes in the realms of Social Media & AI Literacy and Health Communication.

 

Md. Shahidul Haque, Department of Communication and Journalism, Faculty of Social Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Dr. Md. Shahidul Haque is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. He completed Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Master of Arts from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He completed the coursework for Master of Human Sciences from the Department of Communication, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and PhD in public relations from the School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). His research interests are Islamic communication, Islamic journalism, Islamic advertising, Islamic marketing, Islamic public relations, Islamic corporate social responsibility, Islamic media ethics, and social media.

How to Cite
Shafiuzzaman, M., & Haque, M. S. (2026). Media literacy and mental health awareness: A quantitative study of Bangladeshi university students. Jurnal Komunikasi, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.20885/komunikasi.vol20.iss1.art4
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