Intervention Preferences Among Post-Secondary Students: What Can Be Done to Increase the Uptake of Alternatives to One-on-One Therapy?
Abstract
Post-secondary students are at high risk for mental health problems, and many universities are not meeting students’ mental health needs. Cost-effective solutions such as group therapy, online therapy, and peer mentor counselling are available but often underutilized. Therefore, the study’s aim was to assess students’ willingness to engage in different types of mental health services and how willingness can be increased via modifications. Participants (N = 327, 65.4% female) were university students (age 17–51 years) who completed a 30-minute online self-report questionnaire on their willingness to participate in and perspectives on different interventions. Results showed participants’ mean willingness to engage was low for all interventions but the lowest for group therapy. Content analysis showed that students want to feel comfortable in interventions, are concerned about their confidentiality, and are minimally aware of what is involved in interventions. Findings will be integral to university practitioners and policy-makers looking to improve uptake of offered mental health services.
