Lull : a Mental Wellbeing Website for International Graduate Students

Abstract: At its core, mental wellbeing refers to positive self-perception, effective coping with challenges and positive social interactions. International students mental wellbeing can be negatively impacted as they face additional challenges compared with domestic students, such as cultural and social differences. The research aimed to integrate mental wellbeing elements into a web application for international students at KTH, as there is a lack of services for this specific target group. Using a user-centered design (UCD) approach, Lull, was designed and developed to include multiple features related to university services, mindfulness, self-reflection and social interactions. The evaluation results showed a high level of usability and a positive feedback from participants in integrating wellbeing elements. The semi-guided chats were able to create a sense of community and were perceived as the most important feature. Finally, a need for targeted services for international graduate students was highlighted along with the potential of digital platforms complementing traditional services, rather than replacing them.