Development of a Media Literacy Training for Psychiatric Patients

Media literacy refers to the ability to understand media production processes, recognize the discrepancy between media representations and reality, and critically evaluate media content.
Strengthening media literacy has been shown to reduce adverse effects of misinformation or biased portrayals. Vulnerable populations, such as individuals with mental disorders, may particularly benefit from targeted media literacy trainings in psychiatric care due to their heightened susceptibility to misleading media content.
To inform the development of a needs-oriented media literacy training for psychiatric patients, we conducted a mixed method online survey between June and August 2025 with Austrian media literacy trainers experienced in clinical and/or non-clinical settings. The survey assessed trainers’ perspectives on the importance of specific media literacy topics, estimated interest, difficulties, prior knowledge among participants, and the relevance of selected learning objectives. Additionally, it examined practical aspects of training implementation, including preferred didactic methods, and commonly reported technical challenges.
As a follow up study, an online survey targeting psychiatric patients is also planned to further explore their specific needs, experiences, and perspectives regarding media literacy. The findings provide a basis for designing practical, context-sensitive media literacy trainings for use in psychiatric care settings and preventive interventions.