Students’ attitudes and beliefs towards e-mental health interventions

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dc.contributor.advisorCoetzee, Bronwyne Jo'seanen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorBantjes, Jasonen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorVan Der Poll, Ryan Deonen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-11-23T23:14:36Zen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-16T12:44:12Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2022-11-23T23:14:36Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2023-01-16T12:44:12Zen_ZA
dc.date.issued2022-12en_ZA
dc.descriptionThesis (MA) -- Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background. Mental health problems among university students are common and, left-untreated, are associated with multiple adverse effects such as academic failure, suicidal thoughts & behaviour (STB) and severe role impairment. Despite the high rates of mental health problems amongst university students, most students do not seek out or receive support and those who do, face long waiting times and high costs. Available evidence suggests that e-mental health interventions may hold promise in bridging the mental health treatment gap amongst university students. However, the acceptability and feasibility of using e-mental health interventions among South African university students has not been extensively researched. Aims. In this exploratory qualitative study, I aimed to explore the acceptability and feasibility of e-mental health interventions by eliciting the attitudes and beliefs toward the use of e-mental health interventions amongst a sample of university students registered at Stellenbosch University (SU). The following three research questions helped me to achieve my aim, namely: (1) What are students’ lived experiences of using e-mental health interventions? (2) What are students’ beliefs and attitudes towards the use of e-mental health interventions? And (3) What suggestions do students have for the potential use of e-mental health interventions on campus? Methods. Undergraduate students registered at SU during 2021 were invited by me to participate in a focus group, either in-person or online. A total of 51 participants took part in 11 online (N=37) and four in-person (N=14) focus groups. Both online and in-person focus groups were audio-recorded with permission from the participants. These recordings were then transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Finally, the results were interpreted within the framework of the Health Belief Model. Findings. I identified six themes and 15 sub-themes that provided insight into participants’ attitudes and beliefs towards e-mental health interventions. Participants reported having used e-mental health applications (apps) before and mostly had positive experiences of using these apps. Students reported that the anonymity, privacy, informality, accessibility and flexibility of these apps were amongst their many benefits. However, students reported some concerns around the effectiveness of these apps and whether any professionals in mental health were involved in the development of these apps. Students also reported that some connection (whether in person or online) with a mental health professional was necessary and important to them. Participants suggested that essential app features were those that promoted social connection, peer support, and links to mental health support services. Conclusion. Taken together, the findings of this study suggest that students are familiar with e-mental health apps and have mostly had positive experiences with them suggesting acceptability and feasibility of e-mental health interventions. However, the extent to which an e-mental health intervention can practically, and effectively be implemented and delivered to university students in South Africa still needs to be determined.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Agtergrond. Geestesgesondheidsprobleme onder universiteitstudente is algemeen en word, indien onbehandel, geassosieer met veelvuldige negatiewe gevolge soos akademiese mislukking, selfmoordgedagtes en -gedrag (SGG) en ernstige rolontwrigting. Ten spyte van die hoë vlakke van geestesgesondheidsprobleme onder universiteitstudente, soek of ontvang die meeste studente nie ondersteuning nie, en diegene wat dit wel doen staar lang wagtye en hoë onkostes in die gesig. Beskikbare inligting suggereer dat e-geestesgesondheidsintervensies belofte mag inhou wanneer dit kom by die oorbrugging van die geestesgesondheids-behandelingsgaping onder universiteitstudente. Die aanvaarbaarheid en werkbaarheid van die gebruik van e-geestesgesondheidsintervensies onder Suid-Afrikaanse universiteitstudente is egter nog nie breedvoerig nagevors nie. Oogmerke. Binne hierdie verkennende kwalitatiewe studie het ek beoog om die aanvaarbaarheid en werkbaarheid van e-geestesgesondheidsintervensies te ondersoek deur houdings en oortuigings rondom die gebruik van e-geestesgesondheidsintervensies te toets onder ‘n steekproef universiteitstudente wat by die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) geregistreer is. Die volgende drie navorsingsvrae het my gehelp om my oogmerk te bereik, naamlik: (1) Wat is studente se lewenservarings rondom die gebruik van e-geestesgesondheidsintervensies? (2) Wat is studente se oortuigings en houdings rakende die gebruik van e-geestesgesondheidsintervensies? En (3) Watter voorstelle het studente vir die potensiële gebruik van e-geestes-gesondheidsintervensies op kampus? Metodes. Voorgraadse studente wat gedurende 2021 by die US geregistreer is, is deur my genooi om óf regstreeks óf aanlyn aan ‘n fokusgroep deel te neem. ‘n Totaal van 51 studente het aan 11 (N=37) aanlyn en vier (N=14) regstreekse fokusgroepe deelgeneem. Met toestemming van die deelnemers is klankopnames gemaak van aanlyn sowel as regstreekse fokusgroepe. Hierdie opnames is daarna verbatim getranskribeer en ontleed met behulp van refleksiewe tematiese analise. Ten slotte is die resultate geïnterpreteer binne die raamwerk van die Gesondheidsoortuigingsmodel. Bevindinge. Ek het ses temas en 15 subtemas identifiseer wat insig verskaf het in terme van deelnemers se houdings en oortuigings rakende e-geestesgesondheidsintervensies. Deelnemers het rapporteer dat hulle alreeds e-geestesgesondheid apps gebruik het en meestal positiewe ervarings gehad het rondom die gebruik van hierdie apps. Studente het rapporteer dat die anonimiteit, privaatheid, informaliteit, toeganklikheid en buigsaamheid van hierdie apps onder hulle vele voordele getel het. Studente het egter bekommernis rapporteer rondom die effektiwiteit van hierdie apps, en of enige professionele geestesgesondheidswerkers by die ontwikkeling van hierdie apps betrokke was. Studente het ook rapporteer dat ‘n mate van konneksie (hetsy regstreeks of aanlyn) met ‘n geestesgesondheidswerker vir hulle nodig en belangrik was. Deelnemers het voorgestel dat die noodsaaklike app-toepassings dié was wat sosiale konneksie, portuurondersteuning en skakels na geestesgesondheid-ondersteuningsdienste bevorder het. Konklusie. Tesame suggereer die bevindinge van hierdie studie dat studente bekend is met e-geestesgesondheid apps en dat hulle meestal positiewe ervarings met hulle gehad het, wat dui op die aanvaarbaarheid en werkbaarheid van e-geestesgesondheidsintervensies. Die mate waartoe ‘n e-geestesgesondheidsintervensie prakties en effektief geïmplementeer en aan universiteitstudente binne Suid-Afrika verskaf kan word moet egter nog bepaal word.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extentxii, 149 pages.en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125982en_ZA
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectCollege students -- Mental health -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectMental health services -- Utilization -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectSelf-care, Health -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectUCTDen_ZA
dc.titleStudents’ attitudes and beliefs towards e-mental health interventionsen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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