Mental Health Literacy And Perceptions Of TikTok Content As Predictors Of Self-Diagnosis Tendencies Among Working Students

Olivia Yunita Trestiawati; FX. Wahyu Widiantoro

doi:10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.5729

Olivia Yunita Trestiawati Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Proklamasi 45 Yogyakarta, Indonesia
FX. Wahyu Widiantoro Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Proklamasi 45 Yogyakarta, Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.5729

Keywords: Self-Diagnosis, TikTok, Mental Health Literacy, Working Adult Students, Flourishing

Abstract

Background: The phenomenon of the “TikTok-ization” of mental health poses a new challenge for the mental health of working students, who are vulnerable to ego depletion due to work-study conflict. Objective: This study aims to examine the role of mental health literacy and perceptions of TikTok content as predictors of self-diagnosis tendencies among working students. Methods: This quantitative, predictive-correlational study involved 100 working students at Universitas Proklamasi 45 Yogyakarta, selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a Likert-scale psychological questionnaire that met content validity criteria through expert judgment and internal consistency reliability testing. Data analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression. Results: Regression analysis showed that mental health literacy and perceptions of TikTok content simultaneously served as significant predictors of self-diagnosis tendencies (F = 26.999; p < 0.001). Partially, mental health literacy was found to be a significant negative predictor of self-diagnosis tendencies (t = -5.440; p < 0.001). Conversely, perceptions of TikTok content were found to be a significant positive predictor (t = 4.794; p < 0.001). Together, these two predictor variables accounted for 35.8% (R² = 0.358) of the variance in self-diagnosis tendencies. Conclusion: High heuristic trust in digital content without strong cognitive filters increases the risk of self-labeling bias among working adult students. Strengthening digital mental health literacy is an absolute prerequisite for building cognitive resilience to achieve positive mental health dynamics and a state of flourishing in the era of information disruption.

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