Developing a culturally tailored digital mental wellbeing intervention for people from Black communities
Research consistently shows that people from Black and ethnically marginalised communities are more likely to experience poor mental health, yet less likely to receive meaningful support. Mental health services have significant progress to make before they can be considered truly equitable, and part of the answer may lie in prevention — supporting people's wellbeing before difficulties escalate.
This research project is developing a digital mental wellbeing tool designed with and for people from Black communities. Rather than adapting existing approaches that weren't built with these communities in mind, the aim is to create something that genuinely reflects lived experience, cultural context, and real need.
The people this intervention is designed to support should have a meaningful role in shaping it, as co-researchers. This means being involved in influencing what the intervention looks like, what it addresses, and how it works in practice.
Aims
- To identify the essential components of an effective intervention for mental wellbeing for people from Black communities (Phase 1)
- To co-design an internet based/online wellbeing intervention specifically for people from Black communities. (Phase 2)
- To evaluate whether the intervention is seen as accessible and acceptable to people from Black communities. (Phase 3)
Methods
To begin with, a team of up to 10 co-researchers will be recruited to help shape all aspects of the intervention — such as who specifically the intervention is for, what information is included in it and what it will look like. A series of individual interviews and focus groups will also take place with individuals from Black communities and professionals who work with people from Black communities respectively to inform the development of the intervention.
The data from the interviews will be used by the co-researcher team to inform the co-design phase of the intervention development. A software developer will also help shape the intervention. Once the intervention has been developed, a feasibility study will run in order to assess whether the intervention is meaningful, accessible and acceptable to people from Black communities.
If you're interested in being a participant in the study, please contact Dr Chanelle Myrie on chanelle.myrie@kcl.ac.uk
Principal Investigators
Professor of Qualitative Health Research
Vice Dean for Culture, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion