Open AccessBenefits of a psychoeducational happiness course on university student mental well-being both before and during a COVID-19 lockdown
Author(s) -
Bruce M. Hood,
Sarah A. Jelbert,
Laurie R. Santos
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
health psychology open
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.691
H-Index - 15
ISSN - 2055-1029
DOI - 10.1177/2055102921999291
Subject(s) - covid-19 , happiness , psychology , online course , mental health , course (navigation) , medical education , well being , clinical psychology , applied psychology , social psychology , psychiatry , medicine , psychotherapist , mathematics education , physics , disease , virology , astronomy , outbreak , infectious disease (medical specialty)
We tested whether a psychoeducational course improved well-being in three cohorts. Study 1 found significantly higher mental well-being in first year undergraduates who took the course compared to a waiting-list control. Study 2 revealed that students taking the course when COVID-19 restrictions began did not experience increases in mental well-being but had significantly higher well-being than a third matched group. In Study 3, an online course increased mental well-being in University students and staff during a COVID-19 lockdown. These findings support the claim that psychoeducational courses are beneficial in both live and online formats and in times of collective uncertainty.