Investigating the Impact of MindfulU on Student Well-Being

In recent years, post-secondary students have been in the midst of a growing mental health crisis. High levels of stress and loneliness have meant that an increasing number of students are seeking support, leading to campus counselling services becoming overtaxed and highlighting the need for additional sources of support on post secondary campuses. MindfulU is a recently implemented student-led campus mental health initiative with the aim of supporting student wellbeing by fostering community and connection amongst peers. This study sought to understand students' perspectives of MindfulU and determine if differences existed between students who had and who had not accessed its services. Results demonstrated that a majority of students who had accessed MindfulU were only doing so rarely or occasionally. Independent sample t-tests demonstrated that students who had accessed MindfulU tended to be significantly lonelier and were flourishing less than students who had not accessed MindfulU, likely reflecting the fact that students who were struggling were turning toward MindfulU for support. Comments from students demonstrate that those who had accessed MindfulU found value in doing so, and additional comments further emphasized the need for this service. The results of this study will be used to better understand the current needs of students and how MindfulU is being perceived, which will in turn inform the development and expansion of MindfulU moving forward.