Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health in India: 7 Causes of the Growing Crisis and What Parents and Schools Can Do
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This article examines the childhood and adolescent mental health crisis in India through current epidemiological data, identified causal mechanisms, and evidence-based interventions for parents and schools. India has the world's largest adolescent population — 253 million — and an estimated 9.8 million adolescents aged 13 to 17 with clinical mental health conditions (NIMHANS; pooled prevalence 7.3%). Suicide is the leading cause of death among Indian youth aged 15 to 29, with youth suicides representing 35% of all suicide fatalities in India. The treatment gap for mental disorders is approximately 90%. Seven causal pathways are examined: India's hypercompetitive academic examination culture; social media and smartphone addiction; parental pressure and communication failure; stigma; poverty and economic inequality; bullying; and the COVID-19 legacy. Evidence-based interventions are documented for parents (psychological safety, early warning sign recognition, reducing academic pressure, digital literacy, help-seeking) and schools (the SAMA whole-school programme — NIMHANS and University of Leeds — with evidence of sustained reduction in depressive symptoms; teacher mental health literacy training; qualified counsellors; social-emotional learning). The Indian philosophical tradition of Bal Vikas and the Gurukul model are presented as the civilisational framework for holistic child development that Indian education urgently needs to reclaim.
Author: Rout, Narayan
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7163828180
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