A Brief, Daily, Online Mental Health and Well-being Intervention for University Staff During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Program Description and Outcomes Using a Mixed Methods Design

Abstract

Background The unprecedented changes and isolation measures to contain COVID-19 have had multiple psychological and social impacts, with implications for professional and personal functioning. Evidence-informed interventions that can be rapidly implemented under pandemic conditions to support mental health during such times are urgently needed. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the acceptability and preliminary outcomes of a daily online mental health promotion program for tertiary education staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The “Victoria University (VU) Elevenses” program was delivered as an uncontrolled intervention at Victoria University (VU) in the western metropolitan region of Melbourne, Australia. In April 2020, an email invitation was sent to all academic and professional staff inviting them to: (1) participate in the program and (2) opt-in to the research component. The “VU Elevenses” program provided 10-15–minute microinterventions comprising lifestyle and well-being strategies to promote mental health via an online meeting platform at 11 AM each weekday. A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the program, combining structured questionnaires with semistructured interviews to investigate the experiences of staff who participated in the program. Results Between 16 and 90 participants provided weekly program feedback. A total of 106 university staff opted into the longitudinal research component and 10 staff participated in the interviews. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with sessions and perceived benefits for mental health. Approximately one quarter of participants reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress at baseline, with significant reductions in these symptoms in the first 7 weeks of the program, corresponding with easing in mandatory isolation (“lockdown”) restrictions. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress all increased when lockdown measures were reintroduced, but not to the same levels as found during the initial lockdown period. Overall changes in depression and anxiety from baseline to the end of the program were explained by changes in COVID-19–related distress, whereas changes in self-compassion explained changes in stress. Conclusions We show that it is feasible and acceptable to develop and deliver a program of brief interventions in a timely manner, using a simple and accessible online platform. Although participation in the program was initially associated with reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, participants’ mental health worsened with the reintroduction of a “lockdown” period. However, as symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress did not return to levels observed at the start of the VU Elevenses program, participation in the uncontrolled intervention may have offered a protective benefit against the impact of the second significant lockdown period.

Self-compassion buffers the impact of learned helplessness on adverse mental health during COVID-19 lockdown

“…This study aimed to examine the relationship between anxiety, depression, stress, and learned helplessness among college students due to the lockdown of universities during the COVID-19 epidemic and the moderating role of self-compassion between learned helplessness and anxiety, depression, and stress. In a sample of 869 college students, the detection rates of 22.9 % for depression, 35.1 % for anxiety, and 12.9 % for stress were generally consistent with previous findings ( Parker et al, 2022 ). All symptoms are significantly and positively associated with learned helplessness, and our study supports the moderating role of self-compassion in the relationship between learned helplessness and mental health.…”

“…Therefore, it is important to reduce learned helplessness or its influences on students' mental health in lockdown areas. Regular but brief self-compassion training via app-based programs or online programs is a feasible approach to improve self-compassion and reduce psychological symptoms in lockdown ( Parker et al, 2022 ). College students suffering from mental health problems are more receptive to app-based programs or online programs relative to face-to-face interventions ( Rayn et al, 2010 ), but the issue of dropout rates for online programs cannot be ignored, with several recent online programs provided for college students with anxiety and depression showing dropout rates ranging from 24 to 60 % ( Karyotaki et al, 2022 ; Newman et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Early adulthood is considered a risk group for COVID-19 at the psychological level ( Huang and Zhao, 2020 ). College students during lockdown are faced with the routine of online learning, changes in assessment and examination approaches ( Lee, 2020 ; Sahu, 2020 ), and uncertainty about academic and career prospects ( Huang and Zhao, 2020 ), leading to higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms ( Charbonnier et al, 2022 ), and even symptoms that have remitted after treatment are worsened by re-lockdown or extended ( Parker et al, 2022 ). The college period is a critical transition period from late adolescence to adulthood, so it is necessary to focus on the mental health of college students during the COVID-19 epidemic.…”

Effectiveness of Community-Based Outreach Interventions for Individuals Living with Mental Ill-Health in Australia: A Systematic Review

“…Partners in Parenting (PiP) reported their digital intervention to be potentially low in cost [62] although economic evaluations are necessary to corroborate this claim. Digital health interventions were identifed as a feasible, accessible, and efective format [29,30,41,46,47,54,56]; for example, during the COVID-19 pandemic when COVID-19-related restrictions were in place across Australia [44,45]. One study assessing the uptake and efects of an online Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder CBT program reported a 522% increase in course registrations in 2020 compared to 2019 [45].…”

Fostering resilience during the COVID‐19 pandemic via a digital mental health intervention—A pilot study

“…For example, Brazilian university staff working from home during the pandemic were reported to experience increased workload, digital fatigue, concerns about productivity, their work-life balance, and even losing their jobs (Serralta et al, 2020). In a study from Australia in the spring of 2020, up to a quarter of university staff reported moderate-to-severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (Parker et al, 2022). In the United States, students reported being more stressed, having an increased consumption of alcohol, and having more symptoms of mood disorders compared to a cohort in the fall of 2019 (Charles et al, 2021).…”