Mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Conditions
Interventions
The trial will take place across between three and five of the following universities: Stellenbosch University (SU), the University of the Free State (UFS), the University of Cape Town (UCT), the Univ
Sponsors
Stellenbosch University
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Aged 18 years or older 2. Enrolled as an undergraduate student at one of the target institutions 3. Provide Informed Consent 4. Access to the internet to join the online group 5. Report mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression and/or anxiety (taken as a symptom threshold of 10 or above on both scales)
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. No internet availability 2. Students who report active suicidality with intent will be referred to appropriate campus-based crises services, national suicide helplines, and any additional referral sites specified by the local administration 3. Students who do not have at least mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression and/or anxiety will also be excluded but given advice about how to access informational resources about mental health, and will not be followed up
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Self-reported depression and anxiety symptoms measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Attention and concentration: Standardised survey instrument to measure attention and concentration from The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months 2. Substance use: Standardised survey instrument to measure substance use from The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months 3. Panic attacks: Standardised survey instrument to measure symptoms of panic from The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months 4. Social anxiety: Standardised survey instrument to measure symptoms of social anxiety from The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months 5. High mood: Standardised survey instrument to measure symptoms of high mood (or ‘mania’) from The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months 6. Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Standardised survey instrument to measure symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder from The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months 7. Stressful experiences: Standardised survey instrument to measure symptoms of PTSD and exposure to stressful life events from The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months 8. Other behavioural health problems: Standardised survey instrument to measure symptoms of disordered eating and dissociation from The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months 9. Self-harm: Standardised survey instrument to assess the presence of self-harm behaviours and suicidality from The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales (CIDI-SC) at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months | — |
Countries
South Africa
Outcome results
None listed