Abstract
India has high rates of mental health issues among its youth and low-income communities experience a disproportionate amount of depression and suicide. Positive psychology, the act of promoting well-being, could be used as a tool to promote wellness and help improve the mental health of youth living in slum areas of India. A pilot positively psychology program, “The Hero Lab”, was conducted in a migratory slum in Worli, Mumbai, with trained Hindu community leaders implementing the interventions toward at-risk Hindu youth. The curriculum’s impact showed statistical improvement (p < 0.001) in happiness (General Happiness Scale from 11.24 ± 1.56 to 19.08 ± 3.32), grit (Grit Survey from 2.23 ± 0.34 to 3.24 ± 0.67), empathy (Toronto Empathy Questionnaire from 24.92 ± 3.27 to 41.96 ± 8.41), and gratitude (Gratitude Survey from 16.88 ± 3.47 to 27.98 ± 6.59). While a pilot study, the Hero Lab curriculum demonstrates that positive psychology interventions may be an important tool in improving mental health in at-risk children.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the Mumbai community leader, Murli Kharvi, and the Hero Lab Operations Head in Mumbai, Esha D’Mellow. Both helped in the recruitment of the teachers and participants. Further, the support of Medicine for the Greater Good in helping to review the data from the surveys.
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This study did not involve any non-human subjects. All human participants were provided with appropriate information in accordance with approved human research ethics and consent protocols.
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Sundar, S., Qureshi, A. & Galiatsatos, P. A Positive Psychology Intervention in a Hindu Community: The Pilot Study of the Hero Lab Curriculum. J Relig Health 55, 2189–2198 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0289-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0289-5