Randomised Control Trial of a Low‐Intensity Cognitive‐Behaviour Therapy Intervention to Improve Mental Health in University Students

Abstract

ObjectiveUniversity students have high rates of clinical and subclinical depression and anxiety symptoms, low rates of face‐to‐face help‐seeking, and high rates of Internet use. Low‐intensity cognitive‐behaviour therapy (LI‐CBT) that incorporates e‐resources has potential for increasing access to help by distressed students.MethodThis article reports the first randomised controlled trial of LI‐CBT in a university context, comparing it with self‐help information only.ResultsOnly 11% of distressed students agreed to participate in treatment, and only 58% of LI‐CBT participants attended any sessions. Almost all of the 107 participants were female, with an average age of 23 and high average distress. Intention‐to‐treat analyses using mixed models regressions showed that LI‐CBT participants had greater reductions in depression and anxiety than controls who received self‐help information only, but only over the first 2 months. Correction for baseline levels eliminated these effects, although differential improvements for anxiety and stress were seen if analyses were restricted to LI‐CBT participants who attended sessions. LI‐CBT also resulted in differential reductions in perceived connection to the university perhaps because of greater usage of staff resources by controls.ConclusionsResults provide some support for a potential role for LI‐CBT within universities, but suggest that marketing and engagement strategies may need refinement to maximise its uptake and impact.