Report | The current landscape of the delivery and evaluation of student mental health interventions

^{29 February 2024}

Summary

The percentage of UK students in higher education reporting mental health difficulties rose by almost threefold between 2017 and 2023. There is therefore an increasing need for more student mental health support. 

This study looks at how current student mental health interventions are delivered and evaluated, from the perspectives of the practitioners and stakeholders involved in them. It considers a broad range of interventions and practices that work towards keeping students safe and well, as well as helping students if they face mental health difficulties. 

Drawing on a qualitative study of 40 interviews, the report considers the underlying resources, assumptions and relationships that shape a mental health intervention in a higher education setting. The report draws parallels between the challenges of implementation and those of evaluation, suggesting that a holistic approach might help remove the current barriers faced by students in receiving appropriate and timely mental health support.

The study draws out the four key themes below, and also looks at what further research is needed: 

1. Resourcing needs in student mental healthcare. 
2. Co-existing medical and social models of mental health. 
3. Developing networks of care. 
4. Collecting, managing and sharing data on student mental health. 

This study informed the development of the Student Mental Health Evidence Hub, a free resource developed as part of the Student Mental Health Project. Many of the challenges to evaluation are addressed in the Hub. For example, the need for a set of outcome measures for a non-clinical setting can be found in the Hub’s evaluation guidance, while the challenge of deciding where to allocate limited resources is addressed in the Hub’s evidence-based toolkit.

Read the report