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

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Depression/Anxiety

Treatments: Behavioral: Screening; Behavioral: Rewards

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06887569

2206000666

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Enrollment: 340 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria:

• aged 18-30
• are present in the classrooms,
• consent to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria: None

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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340 participants in 4 patient groups

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Information about mental health and therapy and free access to therapy

Screening

Experimental group

Description:

Information about screening for depression and anxiety. Information about mental health and therapy and free access to therapy

Treatment:

Behavioral: Screening

Rewards

Experimental group

Description:

Financial rewards for attending therapy. Information about mental health and therapy and free access to therapy

Treatment:

Behavioral: Rewards

Screening + Rewards

Experimental group

Description:

Information about screening for depression and anxiety, and financial rewards for attending therapy (combination of previous two treatments). Information about mental health and therapy and free access to therapy

Treatment:

Behavioral: Rewards

Behavioral: Screening