Using Listening Rooms as a method to engage and understand male ethnic minority student views of seeking university mental health support

Purpose

Research has consistently shown than ethnic minority individuals are underrepresented in mental health research. Concurrently, university-based wellbeing support services are often either underutilised by male ethnic minority students or accessed at the point of ‘crisis’. This paper highlights how a somewhat novel method of data collection can support ethnic minority male students to engage with research about a university-based wellbeing mental health support service, including discussing potential barriers to access.

Design/methodology/approach

The research utilised a qualitative, Listening Rooms (LR) approach. Participants took part in a conversation with a friend, guided by researcher designed prompts and questions, but without researcher presence. Fourteen pairs (n=24) participated in conversations. The LR Round Table Analysis took place before a more in-depth thematic analysis using Nvivo.

Findings

The LR method led to high levels of interest in the research from the male ethnic minority student population in the university. Those taking part were able to have unfiltered, peer to peer conversations, discussing mental health support. Findings led to university-based interventions related to facilitating student peer to peer support, and ensuring students are directed to wellbeing support as smoothly as possible.

Practical implications

The listening rooms method, or similar, could be considered as a way to engage demographics that have typically been neglected in research.

Originality/value

The novel approach to data collection and analysis is a potential way to overcome the lack of inclusion of ethnic minority participants in mental health research. This paper has focussed on male ethnic minority students’ specific needs related to the use of university wellbeing support services, with examples of newly interventions to support this demographic.