Table 2.

Quotes identified by thematic analysis.

Theme and subtheme		Subtheme and theme description	Quotes	Potential intervention features to include
Program development
	Program format	Format considerations that arose included the delivery context, mode of delivery, timing of the intervention, duration, and cost.	it's just like so much easier to have a conversation about something, because when ... you know it’s reading material and like passively taking information it's just so much harder to process and actually, like take in that information. So yeah, video conferencing or face to face...I think that they're the most effective ways to like actually make something useful. [Participant #15, female, 18 years old]	Brief intervention (4-6 weeks duration) Small groups or individual therapy Weekly hour-long sessions In-person live component Videoconferencing or on site Expert facilitator
	Program content	A preference was identified for content with scientific information individualized to each student’s unique needs. Students were also interested in learning to manage screen time.	it's kind of hard to get adequate help from online sources,...it's hard to get help specifically for your situation if it's not in person. [Participant #2, female 20, years old]	Information on the science of sleep Capacity to tailor to the individual needs Strategies to reduce screen time at bedtime when there is a desire for sleep
	Engagement facilitator	Students would feel more motivated to stay in a program if they had an opportunity to track their progress, set goals, and read content between sessions. A program where they felt socially connected to others through live interactions and social media would be appealing to students.	say people were told to set a goal at the very start of the program ... and then say like halfway through the program they're given their goals and ... you’d look at it and subconsciously sort of think like what is my progress so far. [Participant #21, female, 19 years old]	Feedback on progress Facilitate social interaction
Help-seeking
	N/Aa	Students identified when and where they would get help for a sleep problem. They described how they perceived little stigma associated with seeking help for sleep but did report on other barriers to help-seeking including a lack of awareness of the importance of sleep and available and accessible interventions.	sleep seems more universal ...I guess, there is less stigma around it. [Participant #6, male, 20 years old]	Recruit participants by raising awareness among students of the need for help with sleep and the availability of psychological treatments
Students sleep characteristics
	Factors disturbing sleep	Healthy sleep was hard to maintain due to the lack of routine inherent to the student lifestyle. Students’ sleep quality was also diminished by the demands of university study (completing assessments) and the challenge of juggling competing priorities that often involve late nights. Mobile phones and technology use were also damaging to sleep.	as a student like there's never really a stop time....there's not a clear schedule you can't just leave your work at uni. [Participant #3, female 20 years old] it's kind of like hard to balance it all and get a good sleep, well because, it seems like the easiest thing you could cut out. [Participant #20, male, 18 years old]	Acknowledge the lack of routine and demands of student life Give realistic recommendations for sleep regularity and sleep hygiene Encourage monitoring of technology use
	Consequences of poor sleep	Students found poor sleep had adverse cognitive, emotional, and behavioral effects though keeping busy through the day was helpful.	I kind of get really irritable and kind of just don't talk to anyone. [Participant #6, male, 20 years old]	Acknowledge the impact of sleep difficulties.

^aN/A: not available.