Co-development of the CoMUni intervention : a social-media based resource to increase mental health help-seeking behaviours in UK undergraduates

Abstract

Introduction Each academic year, numerous students experience mental health problems. Despite this, many avoid seeking any form of help which can lead to problems worsening. This paper reflects upon the co-development process of an intervention which aimed to increase help-seeking behaviours in undergraduate students. Methods Online workshops were conducted with a student co-production team, including the completion of tasks designed to incorporate the eight steps of the Behaviour Change Wheel framework. During the co-production process, the team made key decisions in relation to the developed intervention’s main function, the behaviour change techniques used, and the content presented. Results As a result of the process the team developed CoMUni, a social media-based intervention sharing other students’ experiences of seeking help. After the final workshop, each team member provided feedback through an online form relating to their experiences during the development process. Results of this work illustrate how the values of co-production were upheld during the development process, with team members feeling actively involved and respected. Conclusion This work provides reflective insight into the qualitative approach of co-production and illustrates its benefits when utilised to develop interventions around university student mental health. Participant or public contribution A stakeholder advisory group made up of university staff (with experience or interest in student mental health) was consulted during the design of the co-production workshops. A student team attended co-production meetings, making key decisions around the functionality and content used in the intervention. Some members of the team also reviewed and commented on the final manuscript