Addressing Adolescent Mental Health in India Through Student Engagement

Ritika Khunnah, an Echidna Global Scholar at the Brookings Institution, emphasizes that conversations with adolescents should be a starting point in addressing their mental health needs. Over her 26 years of working with youth in India, she has noticed a troubling trend: many adolescents opt to consult AI for advice rather than seek help from trusted figures in their lives.

Globally, mental health disorders affect nearly 1.2 billion people, with individuals aged 15-19 bearing a disproportionate burden. In India, the prevalence of mental health issues among adolescents varies between 4% to 50%, depending on the population and assessment methods used. Notably, a 2023 study indicated that female high school students experience significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety compared to their male counterparts.

Although India has made strides in mental health policy with the National Mental Health Policy of 2014 and the Mental Healthcare Act of 2017, the implementation of youth-centered support remains limited. Barriers such as a shortage of trained professionals and societal stigma contribute to adolescents not seeking timely support.

Khunnah's work with Pravah, an organization that has engaged over 18 million people and supported about 800 youth-led initiatives, highlights the importance of involving young people in mental health solutions. Despite specific provisions for minors in the Mental Healthcare Act, their role in decision-making regarding their own care is restricted, often leaving guardians with the authority.

She suggests that schools can play a pivotal role in fostering mental well-being among adolescents by creating environments of belongingness and resilience. However, current School Mental Health Programs in India face challenges such as funding limitations and stigma.

As part of her research, Khunnah aims to explore how adolescent experiences of mental health are represented in policy discussions and how these experiences differ by gender. The study will include quantitative surveys from secondary school students in Hyderabad and qualitative workshops and interviews with key stakeholders.

The objective is to transform schools into supportive well-being ecosystems and advocate for gender-responsive mental health policies in Indian secondary education. By incorporating adolescents' lived experiences into public discourse, she hopes to empower them as active participants in decision-making.