Friendship Buddies’ Experiences in Supporting Peers with Common Mental Health Needs at a Local University in Masvingo, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Friendship Buddies are lay or semi-professional health workers who narrow the treatment gap for common mental health disorders by addressing the mental health needs of their peers. This study explored the experiences of undergraduate peer counsellors in offering mental health and psychosocial support services to adolescents and young adults in college. A phenomenological research design encompassing fourteen (14) semi-structured in-depth interviews was employed to explore the lived experiences of undergraduate students who provide counselling support to peers with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation amongst other mental health conditions. The thematic content analysis of interview transcripts revealed four broad themes: 1) opportunity for personal growth and professional development, 2) positively impacting the lives of peers with mental health issues, 3) encountering challenging problems and, 4) managing misconceptions. Friendship Buddies realised that offering counselling to peers with mental health concerns provided rewarding and satisfying opportunities, but was also quite challenging and demanding, Findings underscore the importance for further expansion of the Friendship Buddies initiative to continuously bridge and narrow the treatment gap for mental health problems among college and university students