Barriers and facilitators to engaging in a university-based exercise programme delivered to students experiencing mental health difficulties: A pilot study

Prevalence of mental health problems among university students is high. Exercise can benefit mental health and universities could provide suitable settings for delivering exercise referral schemes (ERS). This study examined factors influencing exercise engagement among participants of a university-based ERS for mental health. Semi-structured interviews captured the experiences of university students (n = 7) experiencing mental health difficulties who had participated in a university-based ERS. Instructors participated in a focus group to further assess the factors influencing exercise engagement. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Twelve themes were constructed and organised using the COM-B model which describes the interaction between Capability, Opportunity and Motivation to generate a particular behaviour. The Behaviour in this study is considered exercise. Themes were categorised in the following way: Capability (experience and knowledge, anxiety, skills, and physical fitness and health), Opportunity (accessibility, time, social support, and subjective norm), and Motivation (planning and routine, goal-setting, benefits of exercising, and enjoyment). Practitioners implementing university-based exercise referral schemes to support mental health may consider these learnings to help support the capability, opportunity and motivation of students to engage and remain engaged in exercise. Further research is recommended to assess feasibility of similar programmes in other universities or settings.