Feasibility of a web-based program for universal prevention of anxiety and depression in university students: An open trial

Abstract

Objective: To examine the feasibility of a self-guided, Web-based program for universal prevention of anxiety and depression in university students. Participants: University students (n = 651) enrolled in the tested program (March, 2016). Methods: The program delivered eight weeks of mental health skills (e.g., behavioral activation, mindfulness). Data was collected online through an entry survey, weekly check-in surveys, and a post-program feedback survey. Results: Campus-wide recruitment emails were the most encountered recruitment strategy (82%). In terms of adherence, the program was initiated by 73% of students and fully completed by 11% of students. There was some evidence of program acceptability (e.g., 71% of students endorsed the program as “useful”). Common qualitative themes further suggested acceptability for some aspects of the program while also highlighting others for revision. Conclusion: Findings support further development of the online program and recommendations are made for improving the platform before future testing.

Keywords:

• Feasibility
• mental health
• prevention
• university students
• Web-based intervention

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Halina Dour, Resham Gellatly, Karen Guan, Bita Mesri, and Amy Rapp for their contributions to the skills module content development for the tested online program in this study. We would also like to thank Yu Qian “Mandy” Lin and Alexander Lower for their contributions as research assistants for this open trial study.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Funding

This work was supported by the University of California Los Angeles, under a Life Science Innovation Fund Award, and a Graduate Division Dissertation Year Fellowship; the American College Health Foundation, under the Stephan D. Weiss Student Mental Health Award Grant; and JP Morgan Chase, under the Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fund Fellowship. The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of any of the funding sponsors.