Barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university-based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties: A pilot study

Prevalence of mental health problems among university students is high. Exercise can benefit mental health and universities could provide suitable settings for delivering exercise referral schemes (ERS). This study examined factors influencing exercise engagement among participants of a university-b...

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Main Authors: Gary Skinner, Megan Teychenne, Joey Murphy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Cogent Mental Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/28324765.2024.2380500
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author Gary Skinner
Megan Teychenne
Joey Murphy
author_facet Gary Skinner
Megan Teychenne
Joey Murphy
author_sort Gary Skinner
collection DOAJ
description Prevalence of mental health problems among university students is high. Exercise can benefit mental health and universities could provide suitable settings for delivering exercise referral schemes (ERS). This study examined factors influencing exercise engagement among participants of a university-based ERS for mental health. Semi-structured interviews captured the experiences of university students (n = 7) experiencing mental health difficulties who had participated in a university-based ERS. Instructors participated in a focus group to further assess the factors influencing exercise engagement. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Twelve themes were constructed and organised using the COM-B model which describes the interaction between Capability, Opportunity and Motivation to generate a particular behaviour. The Behaviour in this study is considered exercise. Themes were categorised in the following way: Capability (experience and knowledge, anxiety, skills, and physical fitness and health), Opportunity (accessibility, time, social support, and subjective norm), and Motivation (planning and routine, goal-setting, benefits of exercising, and enjoyment). Practitioners implementing university-based exercise referral schemes to support mental health may consider these learnings to help support the capability, opportunity and motivation of students to engage and remain engaged in exercise. Further research is recommended to assess feasibility of similar programmes in other universities or settings.
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spelling doaj-art-ff610b19cfba46c6903fc97b5718d7f12024-12-09T07:26:49ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Mental Health2832-47652024-12-013112910.1080/28324765.2024.2380500Barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university-based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties: A pilot studyGary Skinner0Megan Teychenne1Joey Murphy2Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Public Health, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, AustraliaCentre for Exercise, Nutrition and Public Health, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKPrevalence of mental health problems among university students is high. Exercise can benefit mental health and universities could provide suitable settings for delivering exercise referral schemes (ERS). This study examined factors influencing exercise engagement among participants of a university-based ERS for mental health. Semi-structured interviews captured the experiences of university students (n = 7) experiencing mental health difficulties who had participated in a university-based ERS. Instructors participated in a focus group to further assess the factors influencing exercise engagement. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Twelve themes were constructed and organised using the COM-B model which describes the interaction between Capability, Opportunity and Motivation to generate a particular behaviour. The Behaviour in this study is considered exercise. Themes were categorised in the following way: Capability (experience and knowledge, anxiety, skills, and physical fitness and health), Opportunity (accessibility, time, social support, and subjective norm), and Motivation (planning and routine, goal-setting, benefits of exercising, and enjoyment). Practitioners implementing university-based exercise referral schemes to support mental health may consider these learnings to help support the capability, opportunity and motivation of students to engage and remain engaged in exercise. Further research is recommended to assess feasibility of similar programmes in other universities or settings.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/28324765.2024.2380500Mental healthtertiary studentsexerciseexercise referral schemequalitative researchtertiary education
spellingShingle Gary Skinner
Megan Teychenne
Joey Murphy
Barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university-based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties: A pilot study
Cogent Mental Health
Mental health
tertiary students
exercise
exercise referral scheme
qualitative research
tertiary education
title Barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university-based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties: A pilot study
title_full Barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university-based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties: A pilot study
title_fullStr Barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university-based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties: A pilot study
title_full_unstemmed Barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university-based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties: A pilot study
title_short Barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university-based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties: A pilot study
title_sort barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties a pilot study
topic Mental health
tertiary students
exercise
exercise referral scheme
qualitative research
tertiary education
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/28324765.2024.2380500
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AT meganteychenne barriersandfacilitatorstoengaginginauniversitybasedexerciseprogrammedeliveredtostudentsexperiencingmentalhealthdifficultiesapilotstudy
AT joeymurphy barriersandfacilitatorstoengaginginauniversitybasedexerciseprogrammedeliveredtostudentsexperiencingmentalhealthdifficultiesapilotstudy