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Mental Health Help-Seeking and AI Chat-bot Perceptions Among Pakistani University Students: A Pilot Study
Tooba Manzoor
Abstract:
Pakistan is facing mental health challenges among university students yet help-seeking behavior remains very low. Existing researchers have explored stigma, gender norms, and digital mental health tools separately, but how these forces operate together in the Pakistani university context remains less explored. The current study addresses this gap by simultaneously examining cultural stigma, gender-based barriers, and AI chatbot perceptions through four theoretical frameworks. A total of 100 students aged 18 to 30 completed a standardized online 20-item survey adapted from validated instruments (ATSPPH; Fischer & Turner, 1970; BACE; Clement et al., 2012). Findings indicated that approximately 60% of respondents reported experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression during university, yet only 13% had ever sought professional help. Male students (M = 4.00) felt pressure to manage difficulties independently and female students (M = 3.54) reported being ignored when expressing distress. Mental health problems were perceived as socially unacceptable (M = 3.82) and a sign of personal weakness (M = 3.56). Willingness to use a culturally adapted AI chatbot was moderate (M = 3.12), concerns about cultural relevance were noted (M = 3.19), and consensus emerged that AI cannot replace human empathy (M = 3.88). Culturally adapted digital tools, strengthened university mental health infrastructure, and community-level stigma reduction are recommended. Findings are exploratory and intended to inform future research with larger, more representative samples.
Keywords:
mental health help-seeking, Pakistani university students, cultural stigma, gender norms, AI chat-bots, digital mental health
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