An online peer support program to improve mental health among university students: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Despite recent calls for more peer support initiatives aimed at promoting mental health in postsecondary institutions, those initiatives remain scarce. In this study, a multisite randomized controlled trial was designed to assess the effect of an online peer support intervention based on acceptance and commitment therapy using mental health and school indicators. Undergraduate students were recruited in three Canadian universities and randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 54) or a wait-list control group (n = 53). Compared to control participants, those who took part in the program self-reported reduced psychological inflexibility, stress, anxiety and depression, and increased psychological flexibility and well-being. The intervention had no effect on academic satisfaction and engagement. These results were found both in completer and intent-to-treat samples. The findings provide evidence that peer support may be a beneficial adjunct to mental health interventions offered to college and university students.

Keywords:

• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• mental health
• online
• peer support
• randomized controlled trial
• university students

Acknowledgments

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Université du Québec à Montréal approved the study. The authors received financial support from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC) to conduct this study. They wish to thank the agency for their generous funding and are grateful to the students who kindly agreed to participate in this study.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of Canada and received approval from the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Notes

1 In the literature, other terms are also used to describe peer supporters (e.g., consumer employees, consumer providers, consumer supporters, consumer staffs, peer staff, peer support specialists, peer support providers, peer support workers).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC).