THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A qualitative study of adolescent students in the state has found over 60% of participants suffer from depression and anxiety. Conducted by Kanal Innovations Charitable Trust, an NGO, the study pointed out the need for urgent medical attention for around 15% of teen students for depression and over 27% for controlling anxiety.
The study was conducted on 457 students from 16 schools in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta. It assumes importance as there was little attention accorded to the mental issues faced by the youth at a crucial period before their move into adulthood.
Kanal used two popular test scales used worldwide to assess the students: The depression, anxiety and stress scale - 21 items (DASS-21), a set of three self-report scales designed to measure the emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress; and the internet addiction test (IAT), a 20-item scale that measures the presence and severity of internet addiction.
“The sample size is good enough to assess the overall mental health of adolescents in the state. It is startling to know that over 60% of students have symptoms of clinical depression or anxiety. We need further studies to understand the reasons behind poor mental health,” said Anson P D Alexander, director of Kanal.
According to him, there have been no authentic studies to understand the problems faced by students. Kanal found that internet addiction is linked to anxiety and stress. Over 34% of students face problems due to internet addiction.
“Those with a higher score of internet addiction have more symptoms of depression and anxiety. We found out that boys face more problems than girls. Students in urban areas have a higher internet addiction score compared to those in rural places,” said Sharon Thomas, a doctor with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in the United Kingdom. Dr Sharon was one of the two members who conducted the study.
The study points to the need for strengthening school-level interventions and awareness on mental health. At present, focus is mainly on physical well-being. “Only a few schools have a psychological counsellor. The situation demands therapy for children and not just superficial campaigns,” said Anson.
Health experts have been pointing out that excessive exposure to the internet makes children vulnerable to problems like depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and dyslexia. Around 25 children ended their lives due to internet addiction between 2019 and 2022.
