“MindSpace” New online platform to tackle problems on students’ mental health

Online learning was a mandatory for them during the covid-19 pandemic for 2 past years which impacted many aspects of life especially on mental health. As a result, Chula Student Wellness Center surveyed the mental health of students. The survey showed that 15% or approximately 5,500 in total out of all students needed counseling sessions with psychologists and psychiatrists. The problem mainly occurred due to the stress during the pandemic, and it became so severe that it led to 7 cases of students died by suicide. Consequently, this center provides a solution by developing a new online platform called “MindSpace”. The platform is developed based on understanding of both service providers and receivers. The result further pointed out careful measures to treat them properly to suicide prevention. Currently, there is a zero case from students died by suicide.

Nowadays, Chulalongkorn University has 37,000 students in total. Online learning was a mandatory for them during the Covid-19 pandemic for the past two years which impacted many aspects of life especially on mental health. As a result, Chula Student Wellness Center surveyed the mental health of students who were in the recent year. The survey showed that 15% or approximately 5,500 in total out of all students needed counseling sessions with psychologists and psychiatrists.

Moreover, the findings of 2020 shown that the college students who requested a consult had strong suicidal ideation which was two times higher than the time before the pandemic. In addition, the findings showed that 30% or approximately 11,100 students required basic mental health treatment and improvement of mental immunity. The problem mainly occurred due to the stress during the pandemic from the isolation and online learning in many subjects, and it became so severe that it led to 7 cases of students died by suicide in the recent year.

Chula Student Wellness Center sought ways to approach the students despite social distancing measures. The online learning of students who are out of town obstructed our old practice of supporting them that could help them only 1 out of 100% who needed support.

Consequently, Chula Student Wellness Center provides a solution by developing a new online platform called “MindSpace”. The platform is developed based on the understanding of both service providers and service receivers. Chula Student Wellness Center is a one-stop service including all aspects of mental health via online platforms which are Prevention. Promotion features such as “Mind Test” and “Mind Tracking” to monitor and evaluate moods, “Mind Support” to improve and learn how to heal mental health at basic step, “Mind Workshop” to learn psychology in personal development with friends via online platform.

Chula Student Wellness Center also establishes the treatment “Problem Solving and Healing” based on the requirements of college students’ time that is in line with their lifestyles. They could reach out for mental support anywhere and anytime via “Mind Counseling”, “Mind Talk”, “Mind Hotline”, and “Mind Medicine”.

Since “MindSpace” was launched on 21 November 2020, the students have registered in the program for over 8,400 in total. They demanded for their self-improvement and counseling with psychologists and psychiatrists. This led us to find out that there are 499 students with suicidal ideations. The result further pointed out careful measures to treat them properly for suicide prevention. Currently, there is a zero case from students died by suicide. It is also an advantage for Chulalongkorn University in terms of information access so they could apply data to a process of a new development to treat the students properly. They also could apply empirical data in real-time to support over 1,000 students with mental health support so that they could maintain their student status.