Sharper Minds 2022 Report.

This report describes a pilot non-randomised controlled evaluation of the full Sharper Minds package in 2022. In total, 365 undergraduate students from across the university opted in to one of three conditions: Control (n=112); 1 Intervention (used the weekly tracker or completed a short course, n=158), or 2 Interventions (weekly tracker plus a short course, n=95). Results showed that on average, students who used the weekly tracker and completed one of the online courses experienced significant improvements in mental health symptoms and loneliness. Furthermore, using the app tracker or completing one of the online courses protected students from a reduction in academic motivation experienced in the control group. These benefits occurred even though participants’ number of academic and general stressors remained consistent across the semester. A preliminary economic analysis revealed a net benefit of $305 per participant. These findings demonstrated the helpfulness of the Sharper Minds model for improving mental health in undergraduate university students.