Participants completed a brief, anonymous, paper-based survey at the beginning of the focus group, which included demographic items and questions about current app use for well-being. They were asked to nominate their 2 most significant psychosocial stressors at work. They were also asked to rate how interested they were in the following mental health app content: education about mental health, ways to seek help, self-help strategies, and ways to support a mate. Finally, they were asked how interested they were in using an app focusing on the following areas: managing or preventing depression, anxiety, stress, sleep problems, and substance use; finding out about their risk of developing a mental health problem; and improving physical health, with items scored on a 5-point Likert scale from “not at all interested” to “extremely interested,” based on previous work [30].

Eight activity-based focus groups (with between 3 and 11 participants in each session) were conducted by mental health researchers with experience working with young people. Participants provided written consent. Each focus group was conducted by 2 researchers and lasted approximately 90 minutes. A semistructured discussion guide was used to explore the workplace mental health challenges faced by apprentices (as reported by Einboden et al. [8]) and the types of healthy coping strategies they used to manage these challenges, which is the focus of the current paper. Sticky notes were used to capture individual responses to questions related to mental health challenges prior to sharing as a group. Activity-based approaches are useful for accessing views and opinions on sensitive topics and give variety to the discussion, which is especially useful for young people [31].

Only 6 of the 54 participants (11%) reported regular use of a well-being app. One female participant mentioned Headspace (a commercial mental health app focused on mindfulness meditation) [36], while 5 male participants reported using fitness monitoring apps, such as Apple iOS Health or Garmin. However, apprentices expressed considerable interest in using a smartphone app for managing mental health and as a source of information about mental health issues. The greatest level of interest among apprentices was in finding ways to support a friend, with 87% (47/54) of respondents “moderately, very, or extremely interested” in using their smartphone to discover strategies for this issue. Self-help strategies to manage or prevent mental health issues were also associated with high levels of interest, with 78% (42/54) reporting moderate or greater interest. Education about mental health and ways to seek mental health if needed were the least popular elements, but still saw 69% (37/54) and 72% (39/54) scoring at least moderate interest, respectively.

Respondents were most interested in an app that focused on improving their physical health; 78% (42/54) reported moderate or greater interest. There was moderate interest in an app that offered strategies to reduce anxiety, with 67% (36/54) reporting moderate or greater interest; stress, with 67% (36/54) reporting moderate or greater interest; and depression, with 65% (35/54) reporting moderate or greater interest. There were lower rates of interest in an app to improve substance use, with 57% (31/54) reporting moderate or greater interest, and sleep, with 57% (31/54) reporting moderate or greater interest. Most respondents (38/54, 70%) were moderately, very, or extremely interested in an app that helped identify their risk of future mental health problems.

A total of 90 individual work-related stressors were reported among the participants. The most commonly reported workplace stressors related to issues around workplace pressures and expectations (38/90, 42%), followed by personal time factors (work-life balance and long hours) (14/90, 16%), workplace bullying and hostility (11/90; 12%), and interpersonal problems with other employees or the public (11/90, 12%). The remaining reported stressors related to study issues (5/90; 6%); anxiety, boredom, and uncertainty (5/90; 6%); a lack of guidance (3/90, 3%); and financial issues (3/90, 3%).

Social connection was discussed by participants in all focus groups. Social connection was characterized into 2 distinct, but related, forms. First, it was used as a social strategy (disclosure and advice) for coping, particularly for obtaining advice. In this form, “talking” was viewed as an action, that is, a specific avenue to overcome problems and receive reassurance. Second, it was used as a way of spending time and being together (ie, socializing), which places a greater emphasis on the intangible functions of “social” connections (eg, friendship). There was a feedback relationship between these 2 themes that directly impacted the effectiveness of each element (eg, the more trust within a social connection that was built in the latter, the greater the use of that connection in the former).

Within the strategy of disclosure and advice there was significant use of active verbs (eg, “ask,” “talk,” and “discuss”) to off-load and share stress and a tendency toward seeking information from others; representative quotes are shown in parentheses (eg, “Find someone to talk to like family or partner”). Commonly reported sources of support were friends, family, romantic partners, bosses, and coworkers. Trust played a crucial role in the process (eg, “Talk to family, friends, trustworthy co-workers,” “Rant to another chef you know well enough,” “Pull my head chef or other close work colleagues aside”). Overall, this strategy provided 3 main functions: advice-seeking (eg, “Talking to people that can help come up with strategies with expenses, balance, stresses”), learning skills and practical support (eg, “Ask other apprentices for assistance with difficult studies,” “Ask colleagues for help and tips”), and coping with stress or work issues (eg, “Confronting the issue of pay and co-workers,” “Talk about stuff I am struggling with to parents and friends”).

The most common topic was simply the act of “talking,” while other topics included work issues, skills or study, and “off-loading about work.” Participants were reticent to mention mental health or employment-related stress specifically, preferring instead to use vague terms such as “my problems” or “hard stuff” when talking to others.

The socializing theme emphasized aspects of sharing with, being with, and spending time with friends and family, with primary use of passive verbs (eg, “being with,” “see friends,” “hang out with,” “spend time with”). Reiterating the frequent mention of friends in the “time-out” theme (discussed below), friends and romantic partners were the most commonly mentioned connection. The direct role that socializing played in coping was rarely expressed; instead, it seemed that the act of maintaining these connections satisfied an innate need for support and belonging that was essential to coping. There were also clear links to other themes and strategies, particularly disclosure and advice, work-life separation, and hobbies.

Hobbies were discussed as a prominent means of coping. Common hobbies reported were related to music, movies, television, videos, and outdoor activities.

One participant described hobbies as a way to escape negative feelings: “Have a hobby, find something you like and [you] have an escape.” The use of hobbies for escapism was a means of cognitive distraction: “watch movies and videos to get it off your mind.” Related to the idea of distraction was personal enjoyment, in that hobbies, as one participant put it, equated to “Me time,” that is, “Have a hobby—do things away from work that are healthy, and you enjoy.” The ability to devote time freely to one’s own pursuits rather than feeling the external pressure and constraint experienced at work was viewed as an important component in the use and benefits of hobbies. This was discussed specifically in the context of bullying, workplace constraints and authoritarian workplace structures, and the demands of study.

The second strategy (time-out) was related to the idea of escapism but focused on physical or mental distance without the need for a hobby to fill this space. This was achieved in different contexts and places, both at work (eg, “smoko” [Australian slang for a cigarette break or a rest from work], “being on-break”) and away from work in usual surroundings (eg, “Enjoy weekend off work,” “Speak to work and take a day off”) or on holidays (eg, “Go down the coast somewhere or away,” “Just drive”), as well as mental time-outs (eg, “Zoning out at lunch and smoko breaks”).

The third strategy involved work-life separation and described a higher-level goal of this domain: addressing challenges related to working hours and high pressure. This was particularly pronounced within the context of apprenticeships, which require juggling study, long working hours, overtime, and commuting. These all contributed to increasing stress and the demands of work on respondents’ time and thus required a very deliberate and premeditated “separation” in order to switch off: “When I leave work of an evening I turn all notifications (email) off and forget about work-related issues.”

Both hobbies and time-outs functioned as facilitators to work-life balance, but the role of strict “planning” was central to this strategy. There were also links to other domains, such as scheduling in time for friends and family, exercise, and adequate sleep (“Plan out your week so you have a balance of work/social life/and any sports etc.”).

There were 2 strategies discussed that utilized a cognitive approach to coping. The first was widely discussed and focused on cognitive strategies to defuse from thoughts. The second used elements of cognitive reframing that allowed respondents to motivate and challenge themselves, often fostering a “big picture” focus on their aims and goals to provide motivation to support them through day-to-day challenges. Overall, these approaches provided a source of internal support and strengthened self-belief and resilience.

Defusion strategies varied, but included using distraction (eg, “Try not to think about work,” “Distract yourself from work issues when at home”), relaxation and breathing techniques (eg, “Take some deep breaths and refocus myself on the job at hand”) and “worry time” (eg, “Set aside X amount of time a day for worries then move on”).

Reframing strategies sought to refocus thoughts and take perspective. Means to achieve this included focusing on a positive (eg, “Think about the money,” “Knowing and remembering that it is something that I want to do and I love to do”), or an end goal (eg, “Knowing that I have only a few months left to complete,” “[just] finish the apprenticeship”), using humor as stress relief (eg, “Have a joke,” “Find a funny side...”) and practicing acceptance (eg, “More stressing will not change an outcome”).

Exercise and physical fitness were the most frequently discussed self-care strategies. In all groups, there was a consistent theme of pursuing an ideal of masculine strength: “Train[ing] hard to release the beast.” However, the indirect benefits of exercise (enjoyment, tension release, getting outside, and mental fitness) were also discussed. Furthermore, physical fitness was discussed in the context of being “able to perform necessary functions at work,” especially if the respondents were in a physically demanding industry. The most commonly reported forms of physical activity were walking, going to the gym to work out and train, going to the beach or surfing, and sports generally.

Two other strategies that were less commonly discussed were eating a healthy diet and getting adequate sleep. Healthy diet was generally described as “attempting to have a healthy diet,” while often experiencing lapses into unhealthy food consumption (eg, “[you have to] Try to meal prep so you do not eat shit”). The idea of prepreparation and taking meals to work was specifically related to the challenges associated with time management.

The strategy of getting adequate sleep was raised as a mitigating factor against common challenges related to fatigue, early starts, and long hours (eg, “Get enough rest the night before work”). It was mentioned as both an exercise in self-discipline (eg, “Go to bed early enough so I get enough sleep for the next day”) and a reward (eg, “sleeping in [whenever you're able]”).

The following approaches were less frequently mentioned in the focus groups. Active learning was one technique used in order to address the challenges of study and work expectations. Some participants mentioned using proactive approaches to reinforce concepts and knowledge (eg, “[I] practice electronics outside of work,” “[I focus on] getting my assignments correct and passing...and learning more at work”). Similarly, this practical approach to problem solving was also mentioned in the context of financial challenges, collectively termed savings and budgets (eg, “Saving for a certain thing rather than blowing money,” “Make a budget for the week”). Despite being asked specifically to describe “healthy coping strategies” in the interviews, substance use (eg, “Having a drink,” “Drugs,” “Smoking”) was mentioned by one group as a usual activity they engaged in during time-outs.

Supporting the idea that apprentices may be more attracted to positive aspects of well-being, and perhaps reflecting a generally healthy sample, there was high interest in an app focusing on physical health and identifying future risk for mental health problems. These findings suggest an app meeting these needs may be more acceptable (and perhaps less threatening and stigmatizing) than one focused on mental illness. Digital intervention developers and researchers looking to engage apprentices may be best served using approaches that are less direct and improve mental health outcomes circuitously, by encouraging positive coping strategies that enhance well-being in general and outcomes such as physical health, work satisfaction, and “supporting a mate.”

Understanding the healthy coping strategies used by apprentices can inform the design of digital interventions with a nonclinical focus to improve uptake and engagement among this group. The apprentices in this study reported using a range of healthy coping strategies to manage occupational stress, including social connection, pleasurable activities, cognitive approaches, and self-care.

Social connection was a key coping strategy mentioned by all focus groups. While the apprentices reported that socializing and sharing activities with friends were a central part of social connection, they also emphasized the importance of talking and seeking emotional support through disclosure of challenging work situations and seeking advice. However, there was a general reluctance to discuss their internal emotional experiences, and they instead focused on the external forces at play. This is consistent with literature indicating that, when experiencing psychological distress, men are more likely to focus on external circumstances than the emotional experience itself [37]. These results suggest the focus in apps for apprentices should be on encouraging social support and seeking advice, rather than emotional disclosure. Further, apps that build in elements of social support may also facilitate engagement [38], especially among this group.

Many current digital mental health interventions have a cognitive therapy base, whereas the participants in this study have indicated that behavioral strategies (social connection, pleasurable activities, and self-care) form a large part of their healthy coping behaviors. Being able to switch off from work, whether through engaging in a hobby, exercise, time-out activities, or practical strategies such as turning off emails, was a key part of managing their stress at work. This suggests the need for more targeted, action-oriented approaches to engage this group. Mental health apps developed for male-dominated industries and young men with a focus on behavioral activation [39] and positive psychology and social connection [40] have shown promising results. Healthy diet and regular sleep were less commonly discussed, and their importance, with strategies to improve physical health, could be further emphasized in apps for this group.

Notwithstanding the results described above, the use of cognitive strategies among participants suggests that many cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness approaches may still play an important role among apprentices. Defusion strategies were commonly mentioned, which suggests a use and preference for more practical and action-based strategies (eg, calm breathing and worry time) among this group. Participants also reported some use of reframing strategies, such as focusing on positives or end goals. This suggests there is room to introduce value-driven goal setting as part of behavioral activation to reconnect apprentices to an environment of positive reinforcement and improve well-being.

Our sample of apprentices reported that time pressure, workload, and long hours were key workplace stressors. While apps are generally well-placed to support those who are short on time, activities offered in apps also need to be of appropriate length, easily integrated into the daily lives of apprentices, offered in different modalities, and customizable to facilitate engagement [38]. For example, an appropriate activity might be a 2-minute breathing exercise or a value-driven activity planning exercise that apprentices can practice during breaks or after work.