TY - GEN AB - Background The psychological well-being of university students is an important factor in successfully coping with the demands of academic life. This study aimed to assess the impact of a peer-led intervention of mental health promotion combined with coping-strategy-based group workshops on mental health awareness and help-seeking behavior among university students in Hong Kong. Method A mixed-method concurrent design was used for this study. Quantitative data, based on one-group pretest-posttest design, were collected using Mental Health Knowledge Schedule Questionnaire to assess mental health awareness, and Attitude Towards Seeking Professional Help Questionnaire-Short Form to examine help-seeking behavior of university students from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Qualitative data were collected from written post-activity reflections and focus group discussions which were thematically analyzed. Results A total of 62 university students (mean age: 23.2 ± 5.1 years) were included in this study. Mental health awareness was significantly improved (p = 0.015, 95% Confidence Interval of − 2.670, − 0.297) after program implementation. Help-seeking behavior mean score increased from pretest to posttest, however, no significant difference was observed (p = 0.188, 95% CI = − 1.775, 0.355). Qualitative analysis revealed that the program helped participants learn about coping strategies to help themselves and others with mental health challenges. Conclusions The peer-led intervention provided a positive impact through increased mental health awareness and knowledge of coping strategies on self-help and helping others among university students. Further study could focus on the impact of the program when applied regularly throughout the entire academic year. AD - Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China AD - Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China AD - Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China ; College of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines AD - School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China AD - Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China AD - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China AD - Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China AD - Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China AD - Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China AD - Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China AD - Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China ; HESAV School of Health Sciences, HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland AU - Ahorsu, Daniel Kwasi AU - Sánchez Vidaña, Dalinda Isabel AU - Lipardo, Donald AU - Shah, Parth Bharat AU - Cruz González, Pablo AU - Shende, Sachin AU - Gurung, Shilpa AU - Venkatesan, Harun AU - Duongthipthewa, Anchalee AU - Ansari, Talha Qasim AU - Schoeb, Veronika DA - 2021-01 DO - 10.1186/s13033-020-00432-0 DO - DOI ID - 7015 JF - International journal of mental health systems KW - mental health KW - help‐seeking behavior KW - mental health promotion KW - coping skills KW - university students L1 - https://arodes.hes-so.ch/record/7015/files/published%20version.pdf L2 - https://arodes.hes-so.ch/record/7015/files/published%20version.pdf L4 - https://arodes.hes-so.ch/record/7015/files/published%20version.pdf LA - eng LK - https://arodes.hes-so.ch/record/7015/files/published%20version.pdf N2 - Background The psychological well-being of university students is an important factor in successfully coping with the demands of academic life. This study aimed to assess the impact of a peer-led intervention of mental health promotion combined with coping-strategy-based group workshops on mental health awareness and help-seeking behavior among university students in Hong Kong. Method A mixed-method concurrent design was used for this study. Quantitative data, based on one-group pretest-posttest design, were collected using Mental Health Knowledge Schedule Questionnaire to assess mental health awareness, and Attitude Towards Seeking Professional Help Questionnaire-Short Form to examine help-seeking behavior of university students from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Qualitative data were collected from written post-activity reflections and focus group discussions which were thematically analyzed. Results A total of 62 university students (mean age: 23.2 ± 5.1 years) were included in this study. Mental health awareness was significantly improved (p = 0.015, 95% Confidence Interval of − 2.670, − 0.297) after program implementation. Help-seeking behavior mean score increased from pretest to posttest, however, no significant difference was observed (p = 0.188, 95% CI = − 1.775, 0.355). Qualitative analysis revealed that the program helped participants learn about coping strategies to help themselves and others with mental health challenges. Conclusions The peer-led intervention provided a positive impact through increased mental health awareness and knowledge of coping strategies on self-help and helping others among university students. Further study could focus on the impact of the program when applied regularly throughout the entire academic year. PY - 2021-01 SN - 1752-4458 T1 - Effect of a peer‐led intervention combining mental health promotion with coping‐strategy‐based workshops on mental health awareness, help‐seeking behavior, and wellbeing among university students in Hong Kong TI - Effect of a peer‐led intervention combining mental health promotion with coping‐strategy‐based workshops on mental health awareness, help‐seeking behavior, and wellbeing among university students in Hong Kong UR - https://arodes.hes-so.ch/record/7015/files/published%20version.pdf VL - 2021, vol. 15, no. 1, art. 6 Y1 - 2021-01 ER -