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App-based guided problem-solving intervention for adolescent mental health: a pilot cohort study in Indian schools

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posted on 2023-06-09, 22:20 authored by Pattie Pramila Gonsalves, Eleanor Sara Hodgson, Bhargav Bhat, Rhea Sharma, Abhijeet Jambhale, Daniel Michelson, Vikram Patel
Background This paper describes the pilot evaluation of ‘POD Adventures’, a lay counsellor-guided problem-solving intervention delivered via a smartphone app in Indian secondary schools. Objective To test the feasibility and acceptability of POD Adventures for adolescents with a felt need for psychological support, and to explore the intervention’s effects on self-reported mental health symptoms, prioritised problems, stress and well-being. Methods We used a mixed-methods pre-post cohort design. Participants were self-referred from grades 9–12 in two coeducational government-aided secondary schools in Goa, India. The intervention was delivered in two formats, ‘mixed’ (comprising individual and small group sessions) and ‘group’ (small group sessions only). Findings 248 participants enrolled in the study and 230 (92.7%) completed the intervention. Outcomes at 4 weeks showed significant improvements on all measures that were maintained at 12 weeks. Large effects were observed on problem severity scores (4 weeks, d=1.47; 12 weeks, d=1.53) while small to moderate effects were seen on mental health symptoms, stress and well-being. 22 students completed qualitative interviews about their experience of the intervention. Participants found POD Adventures easy to use, engaging and helpful in solving their problems. They were satisfied with the guidance provided by the counsellor irrespective of delivery format. Conclusions POD Adventures was feasible to deliver with guidance from lay counsellors in Indian schools, acceptable to participants and associated with large improvements in problem severity and mental health symptom severity. Clinical implications POD Adventures has promise as an early intervention for adolescents with a felt need for psychological support in low-resource settings.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Evidence-Based Mental Health

ISSN

1362-0347

Publisher

BMJ Publishing Group

Page range

1-8

Event location

England

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2020-12-02

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2020-12-02

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2020-12-02

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