What is it? Active psychoeducation refers to interventions in which a trained professional teaches students about mental health and wellbeing as well as helpful strategies that improve mental health.

Evidence? There is an emerging evidence base in the higher education sector showing that active psychoeducation interventions can benefit student mental health. Though there are a large number of causal studies in the existing evidence, most have small sample sizes, show a mixed impact on outcomes, and are from international sources. More research is needed from the UK that focuses on student outcomes (such as attainment and progression) as well as mental health outcomes.

Lessons might also be learnt from reviewing the evidence of such approaches for other user groups, for example younger people (Baourda et al., 2021; Bevan Jones et al., 2018) and adults with depression (Tursi et al.; 2013). These reviews find promise that active psychoeducation approaches may have a small positive effect on mental health outcomes, but highlight diversity in the way these interventions are defined and operationalised as making it hard to generalise about impact.