Peer promoted LunchChat app at university: connecting students at mealtimes to prevent/reduce loneliness

孤独是大学生中一个相当严重的问题。在最近的一项调查中，四分之一的学生在所有或大部分时间里感到孤独。少数民族或性别背景的学生，或残疾或自闭症，国际学生，或有照顾责任的学生报告的孤独感甚至比其他学生更高。长期的孤独会损害我们的身心健康。我们最近对37种干预措施进行了系统回顾，发现将学生聚集在一起的干预措施最有可能减少孤独感。因此，支持大学生在课堂外定期联系可能是预防/减少孤独的干预措施的关键因素。大多数大学根据兴趣爱好举办学生社团/俱乐部，但这些社团/俱乐部可能不是每个人都感兴趣或可以访问的。我们需要更包容的解决方案，利用学生在校园的时间，帮助打破形成社会联系的障碍。我们的目标是进一步共同设计和开发干预措施，以防止/减少各种学生的孤独感，特别是那些孤独风险较高的人，他们可能很难通过现有的社团/俱乐部与他人联系。我们的干预措施包括a）一个应用程序（“LunchChat”）能够为共享的“饮食事件”做广告; B）LunchChat内的社交网络组件，帮助用户介绍自己和/或寻找具有共同兴趣的人; c）培训学生成为该倡议的同伴推动者; d）大学内的（社交）媒体运动，以宣传该倡议。“午餐聊天”允许用户创建和/或加入进食事件并通过例如，组织者的性别。这款应用程序让学生们在午餐或休息时间聚在一起，一起吃饭或喝酒。活动邀请可以是几个人或一个人。同伴促进者在学期期间定期组织团体活动（例如，星期三下午1点在主餐厅）。这得到了宣传材料的支持（例如，共享午餐/咖啡休息时间为那些可能因时间、地点、语言或缺乏特定技能或信心而难以加入社团/俱乐部的人提供了一种轻松的社交方式。共享用餐时间可以帮助形成社会关系，这可以增加与他人的联系和社会支持。这可以帮助预防/减少孤独和增加幸福感。我们的干预借鉴了关于社交网络、友谊形成和膳食社会意义的文献。我们将建立在我们以前的研究共同创建和与学生共同开发。作为最后一年的计算机科学项目，开发了一个具有基本组件的原型“午餐聊天”应用程序。我们的下一阶段将整合学生在最近和未来的患者和公众参与和参与（PPIE）会议中发现的新的重要功能。我们的目标是：根据进一步的学生反馈和分析，优化和调整LunchChat应用程序，即，增加新功能;游戏化;共同设计同伴推广元素，以便在学期期间在午餐/咖啡/膳食期间定期会面;与学生一起测试应用程序的最终版本，了解其功能，理解/用户友好性和安全性;共同设计一个大学范围的（社交媒体）运动，以促进干预。全面实施，我们的干预提供了一个综合的，学生主导的，整个大学的方法来预防孤独，吸引任何背景的学生，支持更积极的大学体验。

Loneliness is a considerable problem among university students. In a recent survey, a quarter of students felt lonely all or most of the time. Students of minoritized ethnic or gender backgrounds, or with disabilities or autism, international students, or with caring responsibilities report even higher levels of loneliness than other students. Long-lasting loneliness can damage our physical and mental health. Our recent systematic review of 37 interventions identified that interventions which brought students together in groups were most likely to reduce loneliness. Supporting university students to connect regularly outside of the classroom could therefore be a key ingredient for interventions to prevent/reduce loneliness. Most universities host student societies/clubs based on hobbies/interests, but these may not be of interest or accessible to everyone. More inclusive solutions are needed that make use of the time students are on campus and help break down barriers to forming social connections.Our aim is to further the co-design and development process of an intervention to prevent/reduce loneliness among a wide range of students, especially among those at higher risk of loneliness who might struggle to connect with others via existing societies/clubs.Our intervention includes a) an app ('LunchChat') enabling the advertising of shared 'eating events'; b) a social network component within LunchChat that helps users to introduce themselves and/or seek people with shared interests; c) training of students to become peer promoters of the initiative; d) a (social) media campaign within the University to advertise the initiative.'LunchChat' allows users to create and/or join an eating event and filter events by e.g., gender of the organiser. The app brings students together at lunch or break times, to socialise around a meal or drink. Event invites can be for several people or just one person. Peer promoters organise regular group events during term time (e.g., 1pm on Wednesdays in main canteen). This is supported by promotional material (e.g., table flags) and a (social) media campaign, including short videos.A shared lunchtime/coffee break offers a relaxed way of socialising for those who may struggle with joining societies/clubs because of issues linked to timing, location, language, or lack of specific skills or confidence. Shared mealtimes can help with the formation of social relationships, which can increase feeling connected to others and social support. This can help prevent/reduce loneliness and increase wellbeing.Our intervention draws on literature on social networks, friendship formation and social significance of meals. We will build on our previous research co-created and co-developed with students. A prototype 'LunchChat' app with basic components was developed as a final year computer science project. Our next phase will incorporate new important features identified by students in recent and future Patient and Public Involvement & Engagement (PPIE) sessions.Our objectives are to:Refine and adapt the LunchChat app according to further student feedback and analytics, i.e., add new features; gamification;Co-design the peer promotion element to enable regular meet-ups over lunch/coffee/meal during term time;Test the final version of the app with students regarding its functionality, comprehension/user-friendliness and safety;Co-design a university wide (social media) campaign to promote the intervention.Implemented in full, our intervention offers an integrated, student-led, whole university approach to prevention of loneliness, appealing to students of any background, supporting a more positive university experience.