From Isolation to Inclusion: Building Integrated Mental Health Services through Social Network-based Interventions in Chinese Universities (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese university students’ mental health has been affected more severely compared with other groups of people, negatively influencing their academic performance, social engagement, and social functioning. The ramifications last even in the post-pandemic era. Current mental health services in Chinese universities are insufficient to meet the ever-increasing psychological needs of the students. To improve Chinese university students’ mental health, this research proposes to carry out social network-based mental health intervention, including the establishment of a dual-layer virtual-physical students’ social network, selection of the most influential students in this dual-layer social network, and implementation of the Acceptance, Commitment to Empowerment (ACE) therapy to the selected influential students. The study seeks to maximize the impact of ACE and the reach scope of a targeted group of people with the power of social network given the resource and time limits. The ultimate goal is to establish an integrated mental health service system that provides timely intervention and long-term support for Chinese university students. Results yielded by this project will inform on the development of social network-based mental health intervention and inclusion of digital elements for mental health promotion.