Collaboration is the currency of the 21st Century. It is becoming obvious that collective efforts are required to tackle contemporary problems. This is especially underscored for multifactorial problems like mental health problems. The heart of research is problem-solving. A transdisciplinary approach is a sine qua non for sustainable problem-solving in mental health research. The aim of the study was to understand the construct of mental well-being through the lens of experts in the field and to explore how the construct can be measured effectively within the African context as it relates to university undergraduates. The study was designed as action research and carefully deployed using a transdisciplinary research model. Experts in behavioural psychology, clinical psychology, educational psychology, medical research, educational sociology, and educational measurement were contacted, and a one-on-one interview session was scheduled with thirteen consultants who consented to be part of the study using Doodle. Findings from the exercise unanimously revealed that the mental well-being of university undergraduates is a multi-dimensional construct consisting of aspects relating to coping strategies, potential realisation, academic productivity, social interaction, school-life balance, emotional stability, healthy living and belief systems, all of which must be considered for effective measurement. This transdisciplinary method is hoped to create a novel path for researchers by merging various forms of knowledge and closing gaps in school mental health constructs. Understanding how experts view mental health is a relevant step for sustainable problem-solving among African undergraduates.
Keywords: Mental wellbeing, Trans-disciplinary Approach, Action Research, Sustainable Problem-solving
Manuscript submitted to Humanities and Social Sciences Communication | This publication was made possible (partly) by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York with Grant Number G-20-57628 deployed through the Future Africa Research Leadership programme. The statements made, and views expressed are solely the authors' responsibility.
