Our team developed a novel intervention that can be used as a scalable solution for people and organisations looking to improve their mental health. The team conducted a large-scale meta-analysis of 332 studies (N=43,454) to identify effective activities that improve mental health, from which the 30 most effective were selected (van Agteren et al., 2021a). Next, the team used co-design principles and a best-practice intervention development framework to develop the Be Well Plan, a group-based program that can be delivered online or in-person. The Be Well Plan is highly flexible, which is unique for a group-based program; participants can tailor activities to their individual needs and interests, making it suitable for a diverse range of individuals and organisations. Participants can use the Be Well Plan App, developed to encourage long-lasting behaviour change and habit formation, get reminders for their chosen activities, access a wealth of mental health resources and monitor their mental health via the Be Well Tracker.
The team has tested the program in a randomised controlled trial with 215 participants during the pandemic, demonstrating large improvements in their mental wellbeing (Cohen's d = 0.48), resilience (d = 0.44) and reductions in depression and anxiety (d = 0.32 and 0.37, respectively; Fassnacht et al., 2022). The development and evaluation of the Be Well Plan is strongly supported by empirical evidence and all steps of the design process were published, using the Intervention Mapping process (van Agteren et al, 2021b). In line with key design features of the program, large improvements in secondary outcomes self-efficacy, sense of control and cognitive flexibility were also observed (d = 0.50, 0.42, and 0.65, respectively)
This 'experience it' workshop will introduce the key concepts and novelties of the Be Well Plan program to the audience, and invite participants to experience key aspects of the program including wellbeing habit formation, selection of wellbeing activities (based on self-reflection and perceived need), and consistent, 'exploratory' practice.