Using Financial Incentives and Screening to Increase Engagement With Mental Health Services Among College Students in Chennai, India

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Depression/Anxiety

• Registration Number: NCT06887569
• Lead Sponsor: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Brief Summary

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to increase engagement with mental health services among a sample of college students in Chennai, India. The study is being conducted in partnership with an arts and science college for women in Chennai. The sample will be recruited within classrooms, during college hours. All students present in the classroom per the allotted time will be introduced to the study. The research team will obtain consent from those interested after screening them for age eligibility (between the ages of 18 and 30 years). Study participants will then complete a baseline survey including questions around demographics, perceptions of their own mental health, mental health treatment history, and the PHQ-ADS, a standardized composite screening tool for depression and anxiety. The experimental design is an RCT with 4 groups, randomized at the individual level: (1) a control group, which will watch a video with information about mental health and be able to access therapy in college and at SCARF, a mental health center in Chennai, at no cost for the duration of the study; (2) a screening group, in which, in addition to the interventions in the control group, students will be informed whether their responses to the PHQ-ADS questions fit in the standard risk categories of no, mild, moderate, or severe distress and corresponding recommendations for whether to make an appointment with a counselor/therapist; (3) a rewards group, in which, in addition to the interventions in the control group, students will be provided with a cash payment for attending their first therapy session; and (4) a combined screening and rewards group. The investigators will measure interest in, and take-up of, therapy at the individual level.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2025-01-20
• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Study First Submitted: 2025-03-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-03-13
• Study First Posted: 2025-03-20
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-21
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-24
• Primary Completion: 2025-05-25
• Study Completion: 2025-05-25

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 3000

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Proportion of participants expressing interest in therapy	Immediately after treatment (Day 1)	Student stating interest in the participant survey in booking an appointment with a study counselor, or asking to be contacted by a study counselor to discuss mental health and therapy
Proportion of participants making an appointment	From enrolment until two months after enrolment	student completing the process to make an appointment for therapy with a study counselor, through the participant survey or otherwise

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Proportion of participants taking-up of a mental health care app	Immediately after treatment (Day 1)	This is measured in two ways: participants expressing interest in accessing a mental-healthcare app in the survey, and participants actually clicking a link to download the app.
Proportion of participants demanding for information about mental health	Immediately after treatment (Day 1)	This is measured in two ways: participants expressing interest in receiving more information about mental health, and participants actually clicking a link to access the information
Proportion of participants attending therapy sessions	From enrolment until two months after enrolment	Data will be collected from the administrative records of the counselling office on whether participants actually attended a therapy session, as well as the number of sessions attended.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

College campus; 🇮🇳 Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India