Evaluating mental health literacy through storytelling and structured instruction in bibliotherapy among Chinese international students

Background Mental health literacy (MHL) remains critically low among Chinese international students, compounded by cultural stigma, acculturative stress, and language barriers. Bibliotherapy, the structured use of narrative and informational texts to promote psychological well-being, offers a culturally adaptable framework for MHL promotion. However, limited evidence exists comparing narrative (storytelling) versus didactic (point-based) delivery formats within bibliotherapy programs for this population. This study aimed to compare the perceived efficacy of storytelling versus point-based information presentation for enhancing mental health literacy, and to explore participants’ learning style preferences. Methods A mixed-methods convergent design was employed. Participants ( N = 25) were Chinese international students at Shinawatra University who attended a two-session bibliotherapy intervention one delivered through storytelling and one through structured PowerPoint-based psychoeducation. Quantitative data were collected via a 22-item post-intervention survey. Qualitative data from open-ended written responses were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Results 80% of participants agreed that storytelling facilitates mental health learning (vs. 76% for PowerPoint). Across all four comparative dimensions emotional engagement, practical coping strategies, motivation to seek help, and overall effectiveness—storytelling was rated as superior or equivalent by 88–96% of participants. Thematic analysis identified six themes: (1) Navigating Mental Health Challenges as Foreign Students; (2) Mental Health Literacy as Awareness, Reframing, and Meaning-Making; (3) From Awareness to Action: Self-Help and Coping Behaviors; (4) Storytelling vs. Point-Based Learning: Differential Pathways to Engagement; (5) Preference for an Integrated Learning Model; and (6) Program Acceptability, Cultural Relevance, and Empowerment. 52% of participants preferred storytelling as their primary learning method, while the majority articulated a preference for an integrated model combining both formats. Conclusions These exploratory findings suggest that an integrated bibliotherapy model combining narrative and didactic elements may be more promising for promoting MHL among Chinese international students than either approach alone. The results have implications for the design of culturally responsive mental health programs in university settings.