Feeling Good and Doing Well? —Testing Efficacy of a Mental Health Promotive Intervention Program for Indian Youth

The need for moving beyond a narrow focus on diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation is well recognized in thefield of mental health literature. However, there is a dearth of interventions for mental health promotion testedfor use in the developing nations. The present study aimed at examining the efficacy of a mental healthpromotive intervention program, “Feeling Good and Doing Well†for Indian college youth. One hundred andseventy one college youth in a metropolitan city registered for the intervention trial, in response to programannouncements. Eighty five and eighty six participants were assigned to the intervention and waitlist groupsrespectively. These groups were comparable on almost all the study variables at baseline. The interventionprogram (with three core themes, namely application of strengths, goal pursuit and emotional regulation) wasconducted in the form of eight interactive group sessions. The waitlisted group also underwent the intervention atthe end of the waiting period. Multiple outcomes were examined including wellbeing (positive and negativeaffect, life satisfaction, positive states of mind and psychological well-being), psychological distress and ratingson self-efficacy. Significant gains on well-being and self-efficacy ratings as well as decline in psychologicaldistress were noted one month following intervention and these gains remained stable at four month follow up.This is one of the first multi-component interventions with potential utility to serve as a universal mental healthpromotion program for Indian youth.