Developing a Model Intervention Program for Adolescent’s Mental Health: A School Based Approach

Abstract

Technological advancements, modernization, and socio-cultural changes in the past few decades have brought about significant changes in the mental set up, notions, conduct, and expression of children and adolescents. In India, adolescents make up 21.9% of the total population (Census Report, 2011). However, this subgroup of the population was not distinctly identified until the Report of Working Group on Adolescents for the 10th Five Year Plan for the Government of India which highlighted the mental health status of adolescents in India. In the last decade, there have been multi-layered efforts on the part of the government, education boards, NGOs, academicians, and researchers to devise ways to help this student group. These efforts have contributed to identifying strategies to intervene in the problem scenario at different levels. It has been observed that mental health intervention should involve schools, teachers, parents, and peers to ensure its wholesome impact and effectiveness. Through comprehensive analysis, an investigator designed and implemented a 120-hour School-Based Intervention Program based on two major constructs: 1) Character Strengths, and 2) Panchkosh. The intervention was found effective in alleviating psychological and behavioral problems in adolescent students.