Development of the Uni Virtual Clinic: an online programme for improving the mental health of university students

ABSTRACT

There is growing recognition of the importance of addressing the mental health needs of young people attending university. Anonymous, scalable, and evidence-based online interventions can help to reduce burden on university services and increase access to care for marginalised or disconnected students. This paper reports the participatory design methods used to develop the Uni Virtual Clinic (UVC), a comprehensive online programme that was designed to prevent and treat mental health problems and related issues in university students. Data evaluating the participatory design process is also presented. The potential for the implementation of the UVC within university-based counselling services is strong, and has potential to reduce the prevalence of mental disorders in a high-risk group of young people.

KEYWORDS:

• University
• student
• mental health
• online
• technology

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the following people for their contributions to the project: Rebekah Anne-Smith, Annika Hellsing, Ada Tam, Gurbhej Singh Sandhu, David Berriman, Nhi Ha, John Cunningham, John Gosling, Jade Chan, Dimity Crisp, Brad Carron-Arthur, Edwina Wright, Julia Reynolds, Rebecca Randall, Robert Tait, Alison Calear, Philip Batterham, Helen Christensen, Mick Carney, and finally the staff and students from the Australian National University and the Student Leadership Group who participated in numerous workshops, surveys and qualitative research activities for the UVC.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Dr Louise Farrer is a Senior Research Fellow and Registered Psychologist at the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University, Australia. Dr Farrer’s primary research interests are the development, evaluation, and implementation of technology-based mental health prevention and treatment programmes.

Dr Amelia Gulliver is a Research Fellow with the ACACIA team at the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University, Australia. She works on various projects relevant to mental health consumers and carers, technology-based mental health interventions, and help-seeking.

Natasha Katruss is an experienced research assistant who has worked on a variety of research projects relating to mental health. She also has expertise in data analysis and web development.

Kylie Bennett is experienced in managing all aspects of complex research projects, particularly in the field of e-mental health. She is responsible for the project development and management of several online mental health programmes.

Anthony Bennett is experienced in the software development of database driven web applications, and has a strong understanding of the privacy and other issues associated with the implementation of internet interventions and associated research projects. He is responsible for the development of the software architecture for several online mental health programmes.

Kathina Ali is a PhD research student working in the area of eating disorders, body image and barriers towards seeking help. Her PhD research examines online peer-to-peer support for young people with eating, weight and shape concerns.

Emeritus Professor Katheen Griffiths’ research interests and experience focus on consumer informatics, the development and evaluation of online psycho-educational, early intervention and preventive interventions, the evaluation of online self-help communities, and the use of the internet in reducing stigma.

Additional information

Funding

This project was resourced by the Young and Well CRC (youngandwellcrc.org.au). The Young and Well CRC was established under the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Programme.