METROPOLIS

Overview

METROPOLIS (Mechanistic trial of problem-solving and behavioral activation for youth depression) aims to address the care gap faced by young people with depression in low–resource university settings. This study will examine the effectiveness of two brief psychological interventions, problem-solving, and behavioural activation, for college-going students in Delhi NCR, delivered by peers. 

Collaborating with a diverse group of young people with experience of depression is the cornerstone of METROPOLIS. Various groups of young people will be involved in all stages of the study, by acting as advisors, supporting recruitment activities, co-designing psychological interventions, delivering those interventions, analysing data, and disseminating the findings to the public.

Rationale

More than 280 million people worldwide are living with depression. It can affect people of all ages and research has shown that the university students have high rates of mental health problems. Depression can impact all aspects of a student’s life – from academic studies to work to relationships. It often occurs alongside other mental health problems, especially anxiety, and can also increase the risk of self-harm and suicide. India, where this programme is being implemented, is home to 20% of the world’s youth including one of the largest growing student populations globally. Care needs greatly outstrip existing service capacity resulting in a large treatment gap of >90%. We envision that the interventions arising from the METROPOLIS programme may offer a sustainable path towards the goal of rapidly scalable, low-cost strategies to reduce youth depression in countries like India and globally.

Partner/s

• King’s College London (KCL), UK

• OP Jindal Global University, Haryana, India

• Youth for Mental Health Foundation, Delhi, India

• Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), UK

METROPOLIS Website

metropolisstudy.com