Research critique practice

Background. Low mood is common among university students, and waits for one-to-one counselling are often long. Brief group interventions could reach more students for the same staff time.

Aims. To test whether a six-session compassion-focused group reduces depressive symptoms compared with a waiting list.

Method. We recruited 120 students who had referred themselves to a university wellbeing service and randomised them to the group (n = 60) or to a 12-week waiting list (n = 60). Sessions lasted 90 minutes and combined teaching, guided exercises and home practice. The two facilitators, who had designed the group, collected all outcome questionnaires. The primary outcome was a self-report depression scale at 12 weeks. Participants who attended fewer than four of the six sessions were excluded from the analysis, because they had not received an adequate dose of the intervention.

Results. Of the 60 students offered the group, 31 attended four or more sessions and completed follow-up. Of the 60 on the waiting list, 52 completed follow-up. Among these 83 completers, depression scores fell more in the group arm than on the waiting list (p = .03, d = 0.50). Students who finished the group rated it highly: 94% said they would recommend it to a friend.

Conclusions. A brief compassion-focused group is an effective treatment for low mood in students. University wellbeing services should offer it routinely in place of one-to-one counselling, which is more expensive and has longer waits.