Marney A. White, PhD, MS, Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences); Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Chronic Diseases) and of Psychiatry at Yale, is the first author of a study that found self-care interventions like improved nutrition, physical activity, mental health exercises, and social supports improved health behaviors in postgraduates.
The study, published in the American Journal of Health Education, examined the effectiveness of a behavioral health promotion intervention -- implemented as part of a semester-long course curriculum -- on health behaviors of postgraduate students.
Research has shown that postgraduate education is a time of intense stress for students, who frequently exhibit higher levels of anxiety and depressive system, according to the authors. The study sought to gauge the effectiveness of self-care interventions with the goal of promoting mental health wellness.
Ninety-one graduate students in public health participated in the study. They completed tasks in four modules: nutrition (consuming five servings of fruit and vegetables and reducing sugar intake), mental health (scheduled mindfulness practice and journal writing), physical activity (cardiovascular exercise and strength training), and social supports (attending social events, performing random acts of kindness, removal from social media in favor of face-to-face interactions).
The results revealed improved adherence to health-promoting behaviors such as healthy eating and getting more exercise. Mental health behaviors did not worsen over the course of the 12-week study period, according to the study.