Evaluation of a Self-Care Intervention to Improve Student Mental Health Administered through a Distance-Learning Course

Associations of coping and health-related behaviors with medical students' well-being and performance during objective structured clinical examination

Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a valid method to evaluate medical students' competencies. The present cross-sectional study aimed at determining how students' coping and health-related behaviors are associated with their psychological well-being and performance on the day of the OSCE. Fourth-year medical students answered a set of standardized questionnaires assessing their coping (BCI) and health-related behaviors before the examination (sleep PSQI, physical activity GPAQ). Immediately before the OSCE, they reported their level of instant psychological well-being on multi-dimensional visual analogue scales. OSCE performance was assessed by examiners blinded to the study. Associations were explored using multivariable linear regression models. A total of 482 students were included. Instant psychological well-being was positively associated with the level of positive thinking and of physical activity. It was negatively associated with the level of avoidance and of sleep disturbance. Furthermore, performance was negatively associated with the level of avoidance. Positive thinking, good sleep quality, and higher level of physical activity were all associated with improved well-being before the OSCE. Conversely, avoidance coping behaviors seem to be detrimental to both well-being and OSCE performance. The recommendation is to pay special attention to students who engage in avoidance and to consider implementing stress management programs.Clinical trial: The study protocol was registered on clinicaltrial.gov NCT05393206, date of registration: 11 June 2022.

The Holistic Prevention & Intervention Model: A public health approach to college mental health and suicide prevention

The rate of college student mental health difficulties has been climbing, leading to overburdened college counseling centers. We propose the Holistic Prevention & Intervention Model (HPIM) as one solution in which campus and community resources work collaboratively to support students experiencing psychological distress and alleviate clinical demands. The HPIM moves from autonomous solutions to organizational-based strategies on a continuum of proactive to reactive interventions. We discuss how this model can be tailored and implemented for college campuses across the United States, including examining the resources available to the campus, the overall campus culture, and college demographics that affect risk and protective factors.

Feasibility and Effectiveness of the Web-Based WeActive and WeMindful Interventions on Physical Activity and Psychological Well-Being

This study is aimed at examining the feasibility and effectiveness of aerobic and resistance training (WeActive) and mindful exercise (WeMindful) interventions in improving physical activity (PA), psychological well-being (PWB), and subjective vitality among college students. Participants in this study were 77 college students who were randomly assigned to either the WeActive group (n = 43) or the WeMindful group (n = 28). The WeActive group attended two 30-minute aerobic and resistance training sessions per week, and the WeMindful group attended two 30-minute yoga and mindful exercise sessions per week for eight weeks. All participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index, and the Subjective Vitality Scale before and after the intervention, as well as the Assessing Feasibility and Acceptability Questionnaire at the end of the intervention. The primary study outcome measures were PA, PWB, and subjective vitality. A repeated-measures ANCOVA indicated a significant main effect of time for total PA (F = 7.89, p = 0.006, η ² = 0.049), vigorous PA (F = 5.36, p = 0.024, η ² = 0.022), and walking (F = 7.34, p = 0.009, η ² = 0.042) in both intervention groups. There was a significant interaction effect of time and group for PWB (F = 11.26, p = 0.001, η ² = 0.022), where the WeActive group experienced a decrease in PWB scores while participants in the WeMindful group experienced an increase in PWB scores over time. There was a main effect of group for subjective vitality (F = 8.91, p = 0.007, η ² = 0.088), indicating that the WeMindful group experienced a greater increase in subjective vitality than the WeActive group. Further, the participants in both groups indicated that the synchronized and asynchronized Zoom-based WeActive and WeMindful interventions were acceptable, appropriate, and feasible for participants. This study demonstrated that mindful exercise is effective in increasing PA, PWB, and subjective vitality while aerobic and resistance training may only be effective in increasing PA.

Examining the Exercise and Self-Esteem Model Revised with Self-Compassion among Hong Kong Secondary School Students Using Structural Equation Modeling

The association between physical activity in achieving mental health benefits and subjective well-being is consistently identified by empirical research. The causation of a positive self-concept created by physical exercise is empirically supported by Sonstroem and Morgan's (1988) exercise and self-esteem model (EXSEM). However, various drawbacks of maintaining high self-esteem have been identified; thus, the concept of self-compassion was conjectured to be a form of "true self-esteem." Hence, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity and self-compassion by examining the exercise and self-esteem model revised with self-compassion (EXSEM-SC). This study recruited secondary school students from Hong Kong using convenience sampling. The structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, including path analysis and multiple indicators, multiple causes (MIMIC) modeling, were used to reveal the results of the study. The results (n = 1097) indicated that the relationship between physical activity and self-compassion could be demonstrated by the EXSEM-SC, with a satisfactory goodness-of-fit index in the SEMs. The SEM also demonstrated the direct paths from physical activity to self-compassion and mental well-being, indicating the significant effect of physical activity on self-compassion.

Exploring graduate occupational and physical therapy students' approaches to studying, self-efficacy, and positive mental health

BACKGROUND

Occupational and physical therapy academic programs are rigorous. Increased rates of student anxiety and depression may impact learning. Data on student study skills, self-efficacy, and mental health is limited. This study explored relationships between students' self-efficacy, mental health factors, and approaches to studying.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was designed. Seventy-three students completed the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students-Short Form, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and Mental Health Continuum-Short Form. Associations between predictors (education program, general self-efficacy and mental health) and ratings on the study approach scales were analyzed with multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

Multiple regression models revealed associations between higher self-efficacy and higher ratings on the deep (β = 0.49, p <  0.01) and strategic (β = 0.34, p <  0.05) scales, and lower ratings on the surface scale (β = - 0.29, p <  0.01). Compared to OT students, PT students had higher surface approach ratings (β = - 0.36, p <  0.001). Poorer mental health scores were associated with higher surface approach ratings (β = - 0.41, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

To support productive study strategies among occupational and physical therapy students it may be useful to promote their general self-efficacy and positive mental health.

Translation and Validation of the Mindful Self-Care Scale—Chinese Version: A Pilot Study

(1) Background: Numerous research studies have investigated and identified the high prevalence of poor mental health status among the Chinese population, for example suffering from a high level of anxiety and depression. Moreover, the Chinese population are shown to have a conservative attitude towards mental health problems and a passive help-seeking behaviour when suffering from psychological distress. Therefore, it is important to assess the levels of self-care among the Chinese population, which is considered as the basis for tackling psychological well-being issues by the World Health Organization (WHO). Self-care was conceptualised and measured by the Mindful Self-Care Scale (MSCS), but without being translated and adapted to the Chinese population. The purpose of this study is to translate the scale into Chinese and to conduct a pilot test to validate the scale among the Chinese population. (2) Methods: Participants (N = 161), with 96 females and 65 males, with an age range from 18 to 62, mage = 26.1 (SD = 6.64), were recruited from Hong Kong (n = 63), Taiwan (n = 44), and mainland China (n = 54) using convenience sampling. (3) Results: The results show a satisfying internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.915) without items that need to be deleted as well as an adequate validity, with Kaiser–Mayer–Olkin (KMO) value of 0.856 and significant correlation between self-care and the two variables: self-compassion and well-being (r = 0.403, r = 0.172, p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: The results preliminarily indicate that the Chinese version of MSCS is reliable and valid. However, test–retest reliability and confirmatory factor analysis should be performed with a larger sample size for further validation.

Evaluation and Durability of a Curriculum-Based Intervention for Promoting Mental Health among Graduate Students

Background

Graduate school environments are recognized for contributing to elevated stress levels among student populations.

Purpose

The objective was to test whether a behavioral intervention, delivered through an online course on behavior change, is effective in preventing declining mental health.

Methods

Data were collected via a quasi-experimental longitudinal study to observe the effect of self-directed behavioral interventions on mental health. Participants included students enrolled in a course on Health Behavior Change at the Yale School of Public Health (n = 45) and a control group (n = 33) of students in the same graduate program. Analyses were conducted to evaluate differences at post-intervention and at a 12-week follow-up assessment in indicators of mental and general health.

Results

Enrolled students reported significantly improved mental health outcomes as compared to the control students. At follow-up, multiple differences persisted, with participants who had completed the course reporting sustained improvements in general and mental health.

Discussion

Self-directed behavior change interventions are effective in promoting mental and physical health among graduate student populations.

Translation to Health Education Practice

This curriculum-based intervention can support student wellbeing in a variety of academic programs.