Managing your mental health is challenging for all university students, Sophie Jaggers explains how you can help face some of the unique challenges met by students regarding their mental health.

From academic stress, financial anxiety, social wellbeing, burnout and coping with COVID – university students confront numerous mental health challenges which require adequate support.

A group of researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) have recognised these significant challenges university students encounter regarding their mental health, and have launched a research trial aiming to improve access to effective mental health support resources.

Here’s how you can get involved:

The Uni Virtual Clinic (UVC) Lite Trial aims to test the effectiveness of an online program in improving the mental well-being of university students.

The trial consists of a 6-week mental health program involving 600 university students from around Australia aged 18-25 who are experiencing mild psychological distress.

Eligible participants will be randomly allocated to one of two conditions. Each group will receive two e-mails a week for 6 weeks, one set of emails will contain a brief video providing mental health information and strategies, and the other 2 e-mails will contain general health information.

Both groups will complete four surveys throughout the duration of the trial, one at the beginning, one after the trial is complete, one after 3 months after the trial period is complete, and one 6 months after the trial period is complete.

The trial is completely voluntary, and you can choose to withdraw at any time.

So, what’s in it for you?

If these informative videos are found to be effective in improving student mental health, they have the potential to be rolled out in universities across Australia to advance access to mental health support for students – something I think we can all agree is a cause worth supporting.

If that’s not enough motivation, all participants who complete all four surveys in the project will go into the draw to win one of ten $100 gift vouchers – $100 whilst contributing to improving your peers’ mental health of your peers? Sounds like a no-brainer.

The UVC Lite-Trial is a great opportunity to not only improve your own mental health but potentially contribute to providing further mental health support and resources for your peers.

To find out more, or to see if you are eligible to participate, please complete the following survey: https://anu.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Ncr6rACltmofeC 

Feature Image by The University of Newcastle