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
BackgroundThe 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 condi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2022-02-01
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| Series: | JMIR Formative Research |
| Online Access: | https://formative.jmir.org/2022/2/e35776 |
| _version_ | 1797735303671185408 |
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| author | Alexandra Parker Sarah Dash Matthew Bourke Rhiannon Patten Melinda Craike Peter Baldwin Warwick Hosking Itamar Levinger Vasso Apostolopoulos Maximilian de Courten Jenny Sharples Monika Naslund Vasileios Stavropoulos Mary Woessner Christopher Sonn Caroline Stansen Michaela Pascoe |
| author_facet | Alexandra Parker Sarah Dash Matthew Bourke Rhiannon Patten Melinda Craike Peter Baldwin Warwick Hosking Itamar Levinger Vasso Apostolopoulos Maximilian de Courten Jenny Sharples Monika Naslund Vasileios Stavropoulos Mary Woessner Christopher Sonn Caroline Stansen Michaela Pascoe |
| author_sort | Alexandra Parker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundThe 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.
ObjectiveThe 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.
MethodsThe “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.
ResultsBetween 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.
ConclusionsWe 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:57:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fc76b16a2d844760838fb3adb267da99 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2561-326X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:57:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Formative Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-fc76b16a2d844760838fb3adb267da992023-08-28T20:53:10ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Formative Research2561-326X2022-02-0162e3577610.2196/35776A 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 DesignAlexandra Parkerhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2398-6306Sarah Dashhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7694-3027Matthew Bourkehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7088-4516Rhiannon Pattenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1655-1849Melinda Craikehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7374-1286Peter Baldwinhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3319-6252Warwick Hoskinghttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4707-5483Itamar Levingerhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9194-2033Vasso Apostolopouloshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6788-2771Maximilian de Courtenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9997-9359Jenny Sharpleshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2885-9899Monika Naslundhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1990-4734Vasileios Stavropouloshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6964-4662Mary Woessnerhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7001-8407Christopher Sonnhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6175-1030Caroline Stansenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7459-6324Michaela Pascoehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3831-5660 BackgroundThe 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. ObjectiveThe 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. MethodsThe “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. ResultsBetween 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. ConclusionsWe 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.https://formative.jmir.org/2022/2/e35776 |
| spellingShingle | Alexandra Parker Sarah Dash Matthew Bourke Rhiannon Patten Melinda Craike Peter Baldwin Warwick Hosking Itamar Levinger Vasso Apostolopoulos Maximilian de Courten Jenny Sharples Monika Naslund Vasileios Stavropoulos Mary Woessner Christopher Sonn Caroline Stansen Michaela Pascoe 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 JMIR Formative Research |
| title | 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 |
| title_full | 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 |
| title_fullStr | 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 |
| title_full_unstemmed | 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 |
| title_short | 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 |
| title_sort | 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 |
| url | https://formative.jmir.org/2022/2/e35776 |
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