Promoting Mental Health and Psychological Thriving in University Students

This registered randomized controlled trial involving 131 university students compared three 30-hour, eight-week well-being programs — SKY Campus Happiness (SKY), Foundations of Emotional Intelligence (EI), and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) — against a non-intervention control group. Results: SKY Campus Happiness produced the most significant benefits, improving depression, stress, overall mental health, mindfulness, positive affect, and social connectedness. These findings suggest that implementing SKY or EI programs may offer a cost-effective, proactive, and scalable approach to strengthening student mental health and reducing institutional strain on university well-being resources.