Abstract

The increasing use of psychological terms in everyday conversations has contributed to widespread misunderstanding and misuse, particularly among college students. While greater awareness of mental health has helped reduce stigma, the oversimplification and incorrect application of psychological terminology may distort accurate understanding and contribute to misconceptions. This issue is especially significant in academic settings, where students are expected to develop proper mental health literacy. A descriptive–correlational design was used with 280 students selected through disproportionate stratified sampling. Data were collected using a validated researcher-developed questionnaire measuring knowledge and misuse of psychological terms. Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rho correlation were applied to analyze the data. Results showed that students had low knowledge of psychological terms, with only schizophrenia moderately understood, while terms such as PTSD, OCD, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, trauma, narcissism, and stress were poorly understood. Despite limited knowledge, misuse was high, especially for terms like gaslighting, social anxiety, and OCD. Correlation analysis revealed a small but significant negative relationship between knowledge and misuse, indicating that higher knowledge was associated with lower misuse. These findings highlight a critical gap between perceived and actual understanding of psychological terminology. The results emphasize the need for structured mental health education, awareness programs, and curriculum integration to improve psychological literacy. Addressing these gaps can promote accurate communication, reduce misconceptions, and foster responsible use of psychological terms.