Suresh Kakollu, Dar Aehsan Ahmad
Department of Psychology, SRM University AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522 240, India.
Department of Psychology, SRM University AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522 240, India.
Asian J Psychiatr. 2025 Apr;106:104447. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2025.104447. Epub 2025 Mar 12.
India, with its vast youth population, grapples with significant mental health issues among young adults in higher education, due to factors such as academic pressure, social isolation, stigma, economic uncertainty, screen time, sedentary lifestyles, and pandemic-related stresses. Though the issue has garnered attention, there's a gap in post-pandemic mental health research for Indian students. This study aims to address this by investigating anxiety, depression, and overall mental well-being among students aged 18-29 in higher educational institutions across eight major Indian cities, categorized by gender, zone, city, and institution type. Using a cross-sectional design and multi-stage sampling, we surveyed 1628 students (47.1 % males, 52.9 % females) using the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38). Female students reported higher distress levels than males. Students from the Western and Southern zones showed higher positivity and well-being. Kolkata students reported low positivity but superior well-being. Hyderabad students reported low depression levels. Central University students reported more depression, while government arts and science college students reported lower life satisfaction. The majority exhibited moderate to high levels of anxiety (69.9 %), depression (59.9 %), loss of behavioral/emotional control (65.1 %), and distress (70.3 %). These statistics underscore the burden of mental health issues faced by this demographic. Despite the prevalence, a minimal number of young adults accessed mental health services, often due to stigma and cultural biases. This study highlights how the post-pandemic context has exacerbated these barriers, revealing significant mental health issues among participants and underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions in educational institutions amidst rising suicide rates in this demographic.
印度拥有庞大的青年人口，由于学业压力、社会隔离、污名化、经济不确定性、屏幕使用时间、久坐不动的生活方式以及与疫情相关的压力等因素，高等教育阶段的年轻人面临着严重的心理健康问题。尽管这个问题已经受到关注，但针对印度学生的疫情后心理健康研究仍存在空白。本研究旨在通过调查印度八个主要城市高等教育机构中18至29岁学生的焦虑、抑郁和整体心理健康状况来解决这一问题，按性别、地区、城市和机构类型进行分类。采用横断面设计和多阶段抽样方法，我们使用心理健康量表（MHI - 38）对1628名学生（47.1%为男性，52.9%为女性）进行了调查。女生报告的痛苦程度高于男生。来自西部和南部地区的学生表现出更高的积极情绪和幸福感。加尔各答的学生报告的积极情绪较低，但幸福感较高。海得拉巴的学生报告的抑郁水平较低。中央大学的学生报告的抑郁情绪更多，而政府文理学院的学生报告的生活满意度较低。大多数人表现出中度至高度的焦虑（69.9%）、抑郁（59.9%）、行为/情绪控制丧失（65.1%）和痛苦（70.3%）。这些统计数据凸显了这一人群所面临的心理健康问题负担。尽管患病率很高，但很少有年轻人获得心理健康服务，这通常是由于污名化和文化偏见。本研究强调了疫情后的背景如何加剧了这些障碍，揭示了参与者中存在的重大心理健康问题，并强调在这一人群自杀率上升的情况下，迫切需要在教育机构中进行有针对性的干预。
