18. Community mental health promotion through new media: a study on the popularization effect of animated short videos

Abstract Background With the growing demand for mental health services among community residents, traditional science popularization approaches—such as offline lectures and printed brochures—have become insufficient due to limited reach and low engagement. Animated short videos, characterized by narrative expression, strong visual reinforcement, and convenient dissemination, are emerging as an important medium in public health communication. However, systematic evidence regarding their effectiveness in mental health promotion, particularly their impacts on knowledge acquisition, attitudinal change, and help-seeking intentions, remains scarce. Therefore, this study evaluated the popularization effects of animated short videos in community mental health promotion, focusing on their contributions to improving knowledge, emotional attitudes, and behavioral intentions to seek help. Methods The study took 246 permanent residents from three communities in a certain city as the subjects and randomly divided the participants into the animation short video group (n = 123) and the traditional science popularization group (n = 123). The animation team watched multiple short animated videos on mental health with clear themes within two weeks, covering topics such as emotion recognition techniques, stress management methods, early warning signs of depression, and formal assistance procedures. The traditional group received the same knowledge content through offline lectures and paper-based popular science materials. Both groups of residents were evaluated before and after the intervention, and the Mental Health Literacy Test (MHLT) and Mental Health Attitude Scale were recorded respectively. The MHAS (Help-Seeking Intention Scale) and help-seeking intention Scale (HSIS) were recorded simultaneously, and the video viewing completion rate of the animation group and the subjective evaluation of the participants' understanding of the information were recorded. All data were analyzed using paired t-tests and inter-group comparisons to assess the intervention effects, ensuring the reliability and statistical significance of the results. Results After two weeks, MHLT scores in the video group increased from 54.83 ± 8.21 to 71.42 ± 7.93, a 30.2% improvement that was significantly higher than the 12.6% increase in the traditional group (p<.001). MHAS scores improved by 22.4% (p=.003), indicating more open and positive attitudes toward mental health. HSIS scores increased by 19.7% (p=.004), demonstrating enhanced willingness to seek psychological help. The video completion rate reached 92.7%, significantly higher than the 68.4% participation rate in the traditional group (p<.01). Additionally, 87.9% of participants in the video group reported that the information was “easier to understand,” compared with 56.3% in the traditional group (p<.001). Discussion The findings suggest that animated short videos serve as an effective new medium for community mental health promotion, significantly improving residents’ mental health knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking intentions. Their high level of engagement and strong visual narrative features enhance information absorption and reduce psychological resistance. Given their wide dissemination, low cost, and ease of reuse, animated short videos are well-suited for routine community mental health education. Future studies could explore how different animation styles and narrative techniques affect popularization outcomes and integrate digital media data monitoring to establish a more precise and sustainable mental health communication system. Funding No. JXGG2025116.