Over Half of College Students Show Moderate Mental Health, Study Finds

A new study by a team of researchers from IIT Bombay has revealed that over half of students from Indian universities are living with ‘moderate mental health’, a state in which they are not clinically ill, but are also not thriving.

The team conducted two studies, one with nearly 800 students between the age of 18-25 years from across India to map the landscape of their well-being, and the other, an experiment on a smaller group.

The results of the first study, published early this month in the Journal of Human Values, revealed that only a third of the students were found to be ‘flourishing’, indicating a combination of social, emotional and psychological well-being, while the majority (55%) were simply going through the motions.

IIT study: Engaged living, family support influence mental health

A study on mental health of students in Indian universities by a team of IIT researchers found 12% of the surveyed students were found to be ‘languishing,’ a state devoid of motivation and joy that often is a precursor to more serious mental health disorders.

The team of Prof Ashish Pandey from IIT-B’s Shailesh J Mehta School of Management, his two Ph D scholars Chirag Dagar and Ajinkya Navare, and research assistant Aishwarya surveyed students, 464 male and 316 female, between the age of 18-25 years were part of an online workshop on self-awareness and wellness. A large majority of these participants were from urban and semi-urban locations and belonged to nuclear families.

The study found that self-direction and achievement are the two factors impacting mental health significantly. Higher self-direction led to higher well-being and on the contrary, higher drive for achievement led to an increase in the probability of languishing. Achievement, in this context, is a value that stresses on personal success as per societal standards.

“Our analysis showed that engaged living, social connections and family support strongly influenced mental health. Students who were more engaged, socially connected and supported by their families were more likely to be flourishing rather than merely coping or languishing. Additionally, we observed that a focus on hedonism was associated with poorer mental health outcomes, with such students more likely to be languishing,” said Prof Pandey.

The second study, a field experiment on a smaller group of 107 graduate students enrolled in an MBA programme at a top-rung institute, was done to examine the effect of a curriculum-integrated course comprising contemplative and mind-body practices on the markers of their ‘social connectedness’ and well-being.Seventeen per cent of the participants of the second study were female.

In this study, the researchers embedded a seven week comprehensive development program into the college curriculum which, apart from traditional lectures also, included yoga, mindfulness, and self reflection exercises. The results were highly visible. The students who took the program experienced a significant increase in their social connectedness, which was associated with higher levels of friendliness, compassion, and joy for others, thus resulting in their overall flourishing.

The group emphasized that mental health must not be viewed as a distinct problem apart from academic achievement.

The research showed that it is possible for universities to help the next generation develop the resilience required for a fulfilling life by substituting a culture of ruthless competition with one that promotes self, awareness and community.