Unveiling the Influencing Factors of the Consumers' Intention to Purchase Digital Mental Health Services (DMHS) Mediated by Desire to Manage Mental Health: A Modified Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (MGB)

Mental health problems have become more widespread in modern society, with urbanization, economic difficulties, and the post-pandemic environment intensifying worldwide mental health crises (World Health Organization, 2022a). The increasing prevalence of mental health issues and the growing integration of digital technologies into daily life have opened up new opportunities for both social and enterprise sectors. Digital mental health services (DMHS) appear to be on the rise among the numerous medical care services currently provided online (Grech, 2018; Kraemer, 2017). Digital mental health interventions have emerged as a scalable and accessible solution to address the lack of resources, uneven access, and discomfort with traditional mental health care (World Health Organization, 2022b; Carolan et al., 2017; Fairburn & Patel, 2017; Kanuri et al., 2020; Schueller et al., 2019). Nevertheless, the adoption rate of DMHS is inconsistent across populations, as a result of a multifaceted interplay of technological, social, and psychological factors. Understanding what factors drive consumer intention to purchase DMHS can provide very valuable insights for improving adoption rates. JEL Codes: I12, L86, D91 Keywords: Mental Health, Model of Goal-Directed Behavior, Perceived Severity, Perceived Susceptibility