Lead: Dr Helena Tuomainen (Youth Mental Health)

Dates: April 2020 - July 2021 (Phase 1)

Background:

Loneliness predicts greater anxiety, stress and depression in students (1, 2) and has been associated with maladaptive coping styles, lower life satisfaction and suicidal ideation (3). In 2018, over 15% of UK students reported feeling lonely on a day-to-day basis, with figures worse for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME), disabled and international students, and those living at home (4). During the Covid-19 lockdown young people and students experienced loneliness more intensely than the general population (5). There is a clear need for interventions to prevent or reduce loneliness in students. Our project explores social aspects of student eating, and the potential of a digital intervention to promote eating together (i.e. commensality) and social connectedness during lunch time on campus.

Policy and Practice Partners:

TBC.

Co-Funding Partners:

TBC.

Methods:

1. A systematic literature review of interventions aimed at reducing loneliness among university students.
2. Exploratory study involving online focus groups and interviews with undergraduate student on:
   1. student wellbeing and loneliness;
   2. social aspects of students’ eating practices or commensality on campus (incl. impact of Covid-19);
   3. students’ views regarding an App designed to promote social connectedness among students during lunch time and/or other mealtimes.
3. The development of an App (“LunchChat”) designed to promote social connectedness among students during lunchtime or other mealtime.
4. Survey of students’ wellbeing/loneliness and social aspects of eating at University of Warwick. The questionnaire will be informed by the findings from the exploratory study.

Main results:

The systematic review has been completed by two second year medical students in the summer as part of their Student Selected Course (SSC2) component and will be submitted for publication shortly. A research associate has been appointed to conduct the exploratory study, for which full BSREC approval has been gained. The LunchChat App is currently being developed by a third year computer science student. Although the App is being designed with students in mind, it will be usable eventually in other population groups as well. A Masters of Public Health student has been identified to conduct the survey as part of their dissertation project.

Conclusions:

The new App and the findings from the various studies will feed into the preparation of a project proposal and grant application to MRC Public Health Intervention Development Scheme (deadline July 2021). The aim is to develop and test an intervention which includes the App, with an ultimate aim of preventing or reducing loneliness among university students. We expect three publications from this first phase of the research, encompassing a BSc final project and MSc dissertation.

Implications for Implementation:

TBC.