Nurture-U student mental health longitudinal survey: a study protocol
Introduction University life represents a critical period for young adults, providing opportunities for personal growth and development of coping skills but also posing significant mental health challenges. Recent trends indicate rising mental health concerns among university students, exacerbated b...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-02-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e098413.full |
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| author | Kate E Saunders Samuel R Chamberlain Jemima Dooley Edward R Watkins Liz Forty Sarah Rees Anne C Duffy Anthony Quinn Ellen Marshall Lucy Dorey Kevin A Matlock Alexandra Newbold Lucy J Robinson |
| author_facet | Kate E Saunders Samuel R Chamberlain Jemima Dooley Edward R Watkins Liz Forty Sarah Rees Anne C Duffy Anthony Quinn Ellen Marshall Lucy Dorey Kevin A Matlock Alexandra Newbold Lucy J Robinson |
| author_sort | Kate E Saunders |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction University life represents a critical period for young adults, providing opportunities for personal growth and development of coping skills but also posing significant mental health challenges. Recent trends indicate rising mental health concerns among university students, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. This study aims to address gaps in longitudinal data on student mental health in the UK and to identify risk and protective factors across diverse student populations.Methods and analysis The current Nurture-U survey is developed from the U-Flourish biannual survey study piloted at Queen’s and Oxford universities in Canada and the UK, respectively. Nurture-U is a longitudinal survey study conducted at five UK universities, aiming to create a comprehensive data set from over 5000 students. The study will collect data at the start and completion of each academic year, using validated measures to assess well-being, mental health symptoms, lifestyle factors and access to support. Recruitment will target all students, with an emphasis on first-year students, to track their mental health trajectory from university entry through subsequent years.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained from relevant committees at each participating university. Students will provide informed consent prior to participation, with risk messages and support information provided for those indicating self-harm or suicidal thoughts. Data will be de-identified and securely stored, with results disseminated through academic publications, social media and student engagement activities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f6a87b5eb23a416c94856d6f437fa521 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-f6a87b5eb23a416c94856d6f437fa5212025-02-12T06:25:13ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-02-0115210.1136/bmjopen-2024-098413Nurture-U student mental health longitudinal survey: a study protocolKate E Saunders0Samuel R Chamberlain1Jemima Dooley2Edward R Watkins3Liz Forty4Sarah Rees5Anne C Duffy6Anthony Quinn7Ellen Marshall8Lucy Dorey9Kevin A Matlock10Alexandra Newbold11Lucy J Robinson123 Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK4 Department of Psychiatry, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK6 University of Exeter, Exeter, UK6 University of Exeter, Exeter, UK7 Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK9 Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK2 Psychiatry, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada4 Department of Psychiatry, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK1 Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK4 Department of Psychiatry, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK3 Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK6 University of Exeter, Exeter, UK1 Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UKIntroduction University life represents a critical period for young adults, providing opportunities for personal growth and development of coping skills but also posing significant mental health challenges. Recent trends indicate rising mental health concerns among university students, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. This study aims to address gaps in longitudinal data on student mental health in the UK and to identify risk and protective factors across diverse student populations.Methods and analysis The current Nurture-U survey is developed from the U-Flourish biannual survey study piloted at Queen’s and Oxford universities in Canada and the UK, respectively. Nurture-U is a longitudinal survey study conducted at five UK universities, aiming to create a comprehensive data set from over 5000 students. The study will collect data at the start and completion of each academic year, using validated measures to assess well-being, mental health symptoms, lifestyle factors and access to support. Recruitment will target all students, with an emphasis on first-year students, to track their mental health trajectory from university entry through subsequent years.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained from relevant committees at each participating university. Students will provide informed consent prior to participation, with risk messages and support information provided for those indicating self-harm or suicidal thoughts. Data will be de-identified and securely stored, with results disseminated through academic publications, social media and student engagement activities.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e098413.full |
| spellingShingle | Kate E Saunders Samuel R Chamberlain Jemima Dooley Edward R Watkins Liz Forty Sarah Rees Anne C Duffy Anthony Quinn Ellen Marshall Lucy Dorey Kevin A Matlock Alexandra Newbold Lucy J Robinson Nurture-U student mental health longitudinal survey: a study protocol BMJ Open |
| title | Nurture-U student mental health longitudinal survey: a study protocol |
| title_full | Nurture-U student mental health longitudinal survey: a study protocol |
| title_fullStr | Nurture-U student mental health longitudinal survey: a study protocol |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nurture-U student mental health longitudinal survey: a study protocol |
| title_short | Nurture-U student mental health longitudinal survey: a study protocol |
| title_sort | nurture u student mental health longitudinal survey a study protocol |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/2/e098413.full |
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