Ahead of University Student Mental Health Day 2020, Kooth Student has analysed a sample of data from almost 2,000 students who have accessed our services regularly over the past academic year 19/20.12 months.
Kooth Student is the only always-on digital mental health space especially for students. The site allows students to engage with peer created therapeutic articles, forums and peer to peer conversations and to message or chat with qualified counsellors whenever and wherever they want to.
We remain a diverse community
22% of Kooth Student users come from a BAME background
23% of students using the service are male
2% of students using the service describe themselves as gender fluid or agender
Peak registration
Registrations to Kooth Student peaked in October, January and February. In the past two months, in the run up to exams and throughout the strikes, we have seen an increase in the demand for counsellor chats. Average counselling sessions have risen from two to three per student.
Major routes to the service
The main referral point to Kooth Student is from university websites. But we have seen a welcome rise in referrals from academic staff due to increased promotion and education across the institutions for academic and pastoral staff.
How students use the site
Most students read, create and comment on articles; 64% participate in forums.
35% of students on the site messaged a professional and almost a quarter (24%) went on to have one or more online counselling sessions.
Well over half (61%) of students are accessing Kooth Student out of hours; the most popular time for students on the site is between 6pm and 8pm on weekdays.
Most common presenting issues in counselling
Top 3 presenting issues for women
Anxiety/Stress
Depression
University issues
Top 3 presenting issues for men
Anxiety/Stress
Depression
Relationships
Top 3 presenting issues for gender fluid/ agender students
Anxiety/Stress
Health anxiety
Trauma
Most visited articles and forums
Reading and creative writing
Health and wellbeing
University life
89% of users would recommend the service to a friend or family. The average goal movement for those in therapy was 6.62, which is more than twice the national average.