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Task-shifting to increase well-being among first-year university students: a feasibility RCT study.
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2024
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| _version_ | 1867613919765331968 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | McGowan, Taryn Catherine |
| author2 | Kagee, Ashraf |
| author_browse | Kagee, Ashraf McGowan, Taryn Catherine |
| author_facet | Kagee, Ashraf McGowan, Taryn Catherine |
| author_sort | McGowan, Taryn Catherine |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description |
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131828 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:48.089Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131828 Task-shifting to increase well-being among first-year university students: a feasibility RCT study. McGowan, Taryn Catherine Kagee, Ashraf Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. College students -- Mental health Preventive mental health services Adjustment (Psychology) in adolescence UCTD Task analysis in education Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: University students are facing increased mental health challenges, leading to a rise in demand for campus counselling services. With the available resources unable to meet the demand, the treatment gap calls for the development of innovative and proactive mental health interventions, in the form of universal prevention initiatives. This study explored the feasibility of two online universal prevention interventions in the form of a task-shifted peer-led support group and a self-directed online MBSR program aimed at improving the wellbeing of first year university students in South Africa. Using a feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) design, the two interventions were compared in terms of improving perceived stress, mindfulness, quality of life, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Eighty-five (n=85) students were randomly assigned to either the experimental (MBSR and support group) or an active control group (support group only) and assessed at three different time points: pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. The assessment measures used were the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14 Items), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-15 Items), World Health Organization Quality of Life (Brief) (WHO QOL BREF-24 Items), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D 20 Items), and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). A three-repeated measures ANOVA was used to investigate the results and concluded that there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of the main effect of group*time interaction. Considering the results, I was unable to reject the null hypothesis, concluding that there were no statistically significant differences between the two group means. Therefore, it is concluded that an online MBSR intervention is no more effective than a task-shifted psychosocial support group in improving the well-being of first-year university students. A secondary analysis of the data examined the predictors of intervention response to an online MBSR intervention. The analysis found that low SES predicted intervention response in mindfulness to an online MBSR intervention (β = -0.390, p= 0.035). Reflexive thematic analysis was used to explore the implementation of a task-shifted psychosocial group intervention led by lay student counsellors (LSCs). Twenty-four (n=24) postgraduate students were trained as LSCs to facilitate an online, peer-led psychosocial support group intervention for first-year students. Findings revealed a growth in counselling competence, identity, and perceived skills. However, challenges were found in the form of technical problems related to contextual factors and ethical issues with navigating privacy. The second aspect of the qualitative component explored the experiences of the group participants in an online task-shifted psycho-social support group. First-year participants reported feeling supported and contained within the group space and had a strong therapeutic alliance with their LSC. There was ambivalence regarding the online nature of the intervention, with many students expressing a desire for a hybrid format. Group participants also made important recommendations for future interventions of this nature. The results of this study contribute to the evidence of the feasibility and acceptability of using LSCs in a universal prevention program to improve the well-being of first-year students in South Africa. Furthermore, the study adds to the research base that explores the use of a self-directed, online MBSR program to improve general well-being for first-year students. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Universiteitstudente kom voor ál hoe meer geestesgesondheidsuitdagings te staan, wat ’n toename in die vraag na kampusvoorligtingsdienste tot gevolg het. Beskikbare hulpbronne skiet te kort en dus moet innoverende en proaktiewe geestesgesondheidsintervensies in die vorm van universele voorkomingsinisiatiewe ontwikkel word om die behandelingsleemte te oorbrug. Hierdie studie ondersoek die haalbaarheid van twee aanlyn universele voorkomingsintervensies, naamlik ’n taakverskuifde (“task-shifted”) eweknie-ondersteuningsgroep en ’n selfgerigte aanlyn aandagtigheidsgebaseerde stresverminderings- (MBSR-)program, wat albei beoog om die welstand van universiteitseerstejaars in Suid-Afrika te verbeter. ’n Verewekansigde kontroleproef is gebruik om die haalbaarheid van die twee intervensies te vergelyk wat betref die verbetering van waargenome stres, aandagtigheid, lewensgehalte, en depressie- en angssimptome. Vyf-en-tagtig (n = 85) studente is lukraak by hetsy die eksperimentele groep (MBSR én die ondersteuningsgroep) of die aktiewe kontrolegroep (slegs die ondersteuningsgroep) ingedeel en op drie verskillende tye geëvalueer: net voor die intervensie, net na die intervensie, en weer drie maande later. Die evaluering is gedoen aan die hand van die skale PSS-14 Items (“Perceived Stress Scale”), MAAS-15 Items (“Mindful Attention Awareness Scale”), WHO QOL BREF-24 Items (“World Health Organization Quality of Life (Brief)”), CES-D 20 Items (“Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression”) en HAM-A (“Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale”). ’n Analise van variansie (ANOVA) is op drie herhaalde metings uitgevoer om die resultate te ondersoek, en geen statisties beduidende verskille is tussen die twee groepe opgemerk wat die hoofeffek van groep*tyd-interaksie betref nie. In die lig hiervan kon die nulhipotese nie verwerp word nie, en is die afleiding dus dat daar geen statisties beduidende verskille tussen die gemiddeldes van die twee groepe is nie. Derhalwe is die gevolgtrekking dat ’n aanlyn MBSRintervensie geensins doeltreffender is as ’n taakverskuifde psigososiale ondersteuningsgroep om https://scholar.sun.ac.za v die welstand van universiteitseerstejaars te verbeter nie. ’n Sekondêre ontleding van die data het die voorspellers van intervensiereaksie op ’n aanlyn MBSR-program ondersoek. Hierdie ontleding dui daarop dat lae sosio-ekonomiese status (SES) ’n voorspeller is van intervensiereaksie ten opsigte van aandagtigheid (β = -0.390, p = 0.035). Nadenkende tematiese ontleding is gebruik om die implementering van ’n taakverskuifde psigososiale groepsintervensie onder leiding van leke-studentevoorligters (LSV’s) te ondersoek. Vieren-twintig (n = 24) nagraadse studente is as LSV’s opgelei om ’n aanlyn psigososiale eweknieondersteuningsgroep vir eerstejaars te fasiliteer. Die bevindinge dui op ontwikkeling in voorligtingsbevoegdheid, identiteit én waargenome vaardighede. Nogtans is daar uitdagings ondervind in die vorm van konteksverwante tegniese probleme en etiese kwessies in die hantering van privaatheid. Die tweede aspek van die kwalitatiewe komponent het die ervarings van die groepdeelnemers aan ’n aanlyn taakverskuifde psigososiale ondersteuningsgroep bestudeer. Volgens eerstejaardeelnemers het hulle ondersteun en geborge gevoel in die groepruimte, en ’n sterk terapeutiese bondgenootskap met hulle LSV gevorm. Gevoelens oor die aanlyn aard van die intervensie was ambivalent, en baie studente het genoem dat hulle ’n hibridiese formaat sou verkies. Groepdeelnemers het ook belangrike aanbevelings vir soortgelyke toekomstige intervensies gedoen. Die studiebevindinge dra by tot bestaande bewyse oor die haalbaarheid en aanvaarbaarheid van die gebruik van LSV’s in ’n universele voorkomingsprogram om die welstand van universiteitseerstejaars in Suid-Afrika te verbeter. Daarbenewens dra die studie by tot navorsing oor die gebruik van ’n selfgerigte aanlyn MBSR-program om algemene welstand onder eerstejaarstudente te verbeter. Doctoral 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131828 Stellenbosch University xx, 363 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | College students -- Mental health Preventive mental health services Adjustment (Psychology) in adolescence UCTD Task analysis in education McGowan, Taryn Catherine Task-shifting to increase well-being among first-year university students: a feasibility RCT study. |
| title | Task-shifting to increase well-being among first-year university students: a feasibility RCT study. |
| title_full | Task-shifting to increase well-being among first-year university students: a feasibility RCT study. |
| title_fullStr | Task-shifting to increase well-being among first-year university students: a feasibility RCT study. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Task-shifting to increase well-being among first-year university students: a feasibility RCT study. |
| title_short | Task-shifting to increase well-being among first-year university students: a feasibility RCT study. |
| title_sort | task shifting to increase well being among first year university students a feasibility rct study |
| topic | College students -- Mental health Preventive mental health services Adjustment (Psychology) in adolescence UCTD Task analysis in education |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131828 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mcgowantaryncatherine taskshiftingtoincreasewellbeingamongfirstyearuniversitystudentsafeasibilityrctstudy |