Depression and anxiety symptoms, subjective well-being, and happiness among Indian high school students
Background: Mental health problems cause significant distress and impairment in adolescents worldwide. One-fifth of the world’s adolescents live in India, and much remains to be known about their mental health and wellbeing. Aim: In this preregistered study, we aimed to estimate the rates of depress...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Indian Journal of Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_937_21 |
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| author | Suh Jung Park Akash R. Wasil Sarah Gillespie Rebecca M. Shingleton John R. Weisz Robert J. DeRubeis |
| author_facet | Suh Jung Park Akash R. Wasil Sarah Gillespie Rebecca M. Shingleton John R. Weisz Robert J. DeRubeis |
| author_sort | Suh Jung Park |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background:
Mental health problems cause significant distress and impairment in adolescents worldwide. One-fifth of the world’s adolescents live in India, and much remains to be known about their mental health and wellbeing.
Aim:
In this preregistered study, we aimed to estimate the rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms, examine their relationship with indicators of wellbeing, and identify correlates of mental health among Indian adolescents.
Methods:
We administered self-report measures of depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), wellbeing (WEMWBS), and happiness (SHS) to 1,213 Indian adolescents (52.0% male; Mage = 14.11, SDage = 1.48).
Results:
Findings from the PHQ-9 (M = 8.08, SD = 5.01) and GAD-7 (M = 7.42, SD = 4.78) indicated high levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms. Thirty seven percent of the sample scored above the clinical cutoff for depressive symptoms, and 30.6% scored above the cutoff for anxiety symptoms. Although measures of mental health symptoms (PHQ-9 and GAD-7) were associated with measures of wellbeing and happiness (WEMWBS and SHS), these associations were only modest (Correlation < 0.45). Female students reported higher symptoms (and worse wellbeing) compared to male students, and older students reported higher symptoms (and worse wellbeing and happiness) compared to younger students.
Conclusion:
This study highlights the high prevalence of depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms among Indian high school students. Symptom measures correlated only modestly with measures of wellbeing and happiness, suggesting that wellbeing and happiness reflect more than the absence of internalizing symptoms. Future research is needed to identify effective and appropriate ways to promote mental health and wellness among Indian students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-83b68ecb4e644893b157fe59b337da49 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0019-5545 1998-3794 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Indian Journal of Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-83b68ecb4e644893b157fe59b337da492025-01-22T14:56:03ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Psychiatry0019-55451998-37942023-06-0165665566010.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_937_21Depression and anxiety symptoms, subjective well-being, and happiness among Indian high school studentsSuh Jung ParkAkash R. WasilSarah GillespieRebecca M. ShingletonJohn R. WeiszRobert J. DeRubeisBackground: Mental health problems cause significant distress and impairment in adolescents worldwide. One-fifth of the world’s adolescents live in India, and much remains to be known about their mental health and wellbeing. Aim: In this preregistered study, we aimed to estimate the rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms, examine their relationship with indicators of wellbeing, and identify correlates of mental health among Indian adolescents. Methods: We administered self-report measures of depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), wellbeing (WEMWBS), and happiness (SHS) to 1,213 Indian adolescents (52.0% male; Mage = 14.11, SDage = 1.48). Results: Findings from the PHQ-9 (M = 8.08, SD = 5.01) and GAD-7 (M = 7.42, SD = 4.78) indicated high levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms. Thirty seven percent of the sample scored above the clinical cutoff for depressive symptoms, and 30.6% scored above the cutoff for anxiety symptoms. Although measures of mental health symptoms (PHQ-9 and GAD-7) were associated with measures of wellbeing and happiness (WEMWBS and SHS), these associations were only modest (Correlation < 0.45). Female students reported higher symptoms (and worse wellbeing) compared to male students, and older students reported higher symptoms (and worse wellbeing and happiness) compared to younger students. Conclusion: This study highlights the high prevalence of depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms among Indian high school students. Symptom measures correlated only modestly with measures of wellbeing and happiness, suggesting that wellbeing and happiness reflect more than the absence of internalizing symptoms. Future research is needed to identify effective and appropriate ways to promote mental health and wellness among Indian students.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_937_21adolescentsanxietydepressionindiamental healthwellbeing |
| spellingShingle | Suh Jung Park Akash R. Wasil Sarah Gillespie Rebecca M. Shingleton John R. Weisz Robert J. DeRubeis Depression and anxiety symptoms, subjective well-being, and happiness among Indian high school students Indian Journal of Psychiatry adolescents anxiety depression india mental health wellbeing |
| title | Depression and anxiety symptoms, subjective well-being, and happiness among Indian high school students |
| title_full | Depression and anxiety symptoms, subjective well-being, and happiness among Indian high school students |
| title_fullStr | Depression and anxiety symptoms, subjective well-being, and happiness among Indian high school students |
| title_full_unstemmed | Depression and anxiety symptoms, subjective well-being, and happiness among Indian high school students |
| title_short | Depression and anxiety symptoms, subjective well-being, and happiness among Indian high school students |
| title_sort | depression and anxiety symptoms subjective well being and happiness among indian high school students |
| topic | adolescents anxiety depression india mental health wellbeing |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_937_21 |
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