Abstract
Introduction. Students often have a variety of stressors, such as leaving home, losing support
networks, changing finances, and starting their degree. They are less likely to engage in helpseeking behaviours which has contributed to more university students in the UK reporting problems with their mental health and wellbeing than ever before. Currently, universities offer
a mixture of face-to-face and digital support, with digital mental health (DMH) packages
increasingly available despite a lack of research into how student’s experience using them.
These packages often have elements of computerised CBT (cCBT) or digital peer support
where students are supported anonymously by other students. This study intended to
qualitatively explore some university student’s experiences of using these DMH packages.
Method. Eleven participants from universities across the UK took part in a semi-structured
interview exploring their experiences of using DMH packages. A reflexive thematic analysis
(Braun & Clarke, 2019) was used to analyse their findings.
Analysis & Discussion. Six themes were generated: “Signposted to self-reliance”, “It’d be nice
to talk to someone”, “It’s a community, but not a true community”, “Easy in, easy out”, “I felt
like I was doing another uni course”, and “It’s a safe space”. There was a wealth of information
available to participants via DMH packages, but some felt forced to use it or did not get
sufficient staff support. Reading similar experiences from other students normalised some
student’s distress but made others feel worse. Some students queried whether they should be
supporting other students, considering they are seeking support themselves.
Recommendations. Further research should explore how to best create online peer support
communities for university students, and to explore which university students would most
benefit from cCBT and/or digital peer support communities, as they do not appear suitable for
all students.