Community-Based Intervention Targeting Depressive Symptomatology in Indian Women: An Exploration of Its Efficacy in a Non-Specialized Healthcare Setting

Abstract

Abstract Depressive symptomatology casts a more adverse impact on the well-being of women in countries with unfavourable societal norms. The prevalence of depressive symptomatology in Indian women and the treatment gap in case of mental health issues are alarming and thus may require interventions at a community level. The present study tested the efficacy of a psychosocial community-based intervention in managing depressive symptomatology and associated factors like rumination, reappraisal, psychological resilience, and self-efficacy using a pre-test post-test control group design. A total of 114 (Mage=23.03, SD = 5.29) and 37 (Mage=24.89, SD = 6.44) adult females were there in the experimental and the control group, respectively. A series of ANOVAs showed that participants’ scores on depressive symptomatology and associated vulnerabilities and defences improved as compared to the baseline and the control group. The findings support the use of psychosocial community-based intervention in a non-specialized healthcare setting to manage depressive symptomatology, associated vulnerability and defences.