Impact of behavioural interventions for the promotion of adolescent mental health in Ahmedabad city: India

Purpose:

Mental health issues are going to contribute significantly in global burden of diseases in 21^st century. At the same time, there is a dearth of mental health services, mental health professionals, primordial and primary prevention and effective intervention strategies for children and adolescents in a developing country like India. Considering the wide gap between mental health needs of children and adolescents and existing resources, the study looked at the impact of behavioral interventions on the mental health of school children in Ahmedabad city-India.

Data and Methods:

The Interventional study, with primary data collection, was conducted in two schools of Ahmedabad City from August 2010 to January 2012 among 6^th-9^th graders. Self-reported student version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used for mental health assessment in the areas of hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer problems and pro-social behavior. Mental well-being was measured using WHO-5 scale questionnaire. Six interventions were given at an interval of one month each, using a multi-disciplinary approach.

Results:

427 students participated in the interventional study. There was a significant reduction in overall difficulty score during the pre and post-interventional phases. Findings also suggested higher post-test well-being scores. Interventions not only reduced overall symptoms but also decreased the severity of the symptoms. There was a significant decrease in the number of students who required further investigation into possible symptoms of depression and needing a counselling professional for consultation.

Recommendations:

Comprehensive mental health behavioral interventions have the potential to contribute significantly to prevent mental health problems among adolescents.