AUTHOR=Zhang Lu , Wu Wenhui TITLE=Evaluating mental health education in ethnic minority universities in China: a CIPP model approach JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025 YEAR=2025 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1679742 DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1679742 ISSN=1664-1078 ABSTRACT=IntroductionThe growing need for mental health education in ethnic minority universities in China has highlighted the importance of evaluating program effectiveness. This study aimed to develop and validate a CIPP-based scale designed to assess the quality and impact of mental health education programs in these institutions.MethodsA total of 1,635 students from 10 universities in Inner Mongolia participated in the study. The CIPP-based scale was tested for reliability and validity across four dimensions—context, input, process, and product—using quantitative analyses.ResultsThe results demonstrated strong structural validity and internal consistency of the scale. Significant group differences emerged in student evaluations by gender, academic year, discipline, and institution type, while prior counseling experience had no significant influence.DiscussionAlthough the program was broadly recognized for its effectiveness and instructional quality, challenges persisted in student engagement, resource continuity, and service utilization. The findings underscore the need for an integrated, inclusive, and culturally responsive educational framework to enhance mental health education for ethnic minority students.