Global mental health in focus: QMU leads landmark study to shape inclusive interventions worldwide
Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh has completed a major international project to understand the global landscape of psychological, psychosocial, and social interventions for depression, anxiety, and psychosis.
The initiative, commissioned by the Wellcome Trust, aims to identify promising areas for future investment and research and ultimately advance mental health interventions worldwide to support individuals, communities and society as a whole.
Led by a professorial team from across Queen Margaret University with expertise in psychology and global health and development, the project brought together an interdisciplinary team of researchers, practitioners, and people with lived experience from across all six World Health Organization (WHO) regions. Partners on this progressive work included the Mental Health & Psychosocial Support Network and a global advisory board of experts.
Professor Olivia Sagan is Centre Director for the Centre for Applied Social Sciences and an expert on the subject of mental health. She said:
In a world facing rapid change, conflict, and uncertainty, understanding mental health across cultures and communities has never been more urgent. This project has been a bold and collaborative effort to map what works, where, and why - ensuring future interventions are not only evidence-based but also deeply rooted in lived experience and cultural relevance. I’m proud to have worked alongside Professors Karin Diaconu and Alastair Ager, whose global health expertise and international partnerships have been instrumental in shaping this vital research.
The multi-phase study involved a rapid review of systematic reviews, global surveys, and consultations with stakeholders including funders, policymakers, and practitioners. Interventions were assessed against key criteria: clinical evidence, lived experience relevance, cultural adaptability, scalability, and contribution to equity and inclusion.
The final report highlights critical recommendations for advancing mental health interventions worldwide, including:
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Promoting decentralised and context-sensitive delivery models
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Elevating lived experience leadership
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Integrating mental health into social and economic policy
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Investing in community-based and non-specialist workforces
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Supporting locally led and culturally relevant models
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Improving systems for monitoring, evaluation, and learning
This collaborative undertaking allowed us to review not only the academic evidence underpinning interventions but the perspectives of practitioners and experts from the field and from those with lived experience in the target local contexts regarding these interventions. As a ‘landscape review’ it is a major contribution to shaping understanding of mental health as a truly global challenge and the most promising interventions to invest in to address escalating needs.
For further media information contact Lynne Russell, Communications Manager, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk (copy to E: pressoffice@qmu.ac.uk).
To find out more about the research team visit the professors’ media profiles on the Queen Margaret University website:
