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

NCT ID: NCT06887569

Last Updated: 2025-09-25

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

340 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-01-20

Study Completion Date

2025-05-25

Brief Summary

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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.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Depression/Anxiety

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

FACTORIAL

Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Control

Information about mental health and therapy and free access to therapy

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Screening

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

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Screening

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Information about screening for depression and anxiety

Rewards

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

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Rewards

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Financial rewards for attending therapy

Screening + Rewards

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

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Rewards

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Financial rewards for attending therapy

Screening

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Information about screening for depression and anxiety

Interventions

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Rewards

Financial rewards for attending therapy

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Screening

Information about screening for depression and anxiety

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* aged 18-30
* are present in the classrooms,
* consent to participate in the study
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

30 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Harvard University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of California, Berkeley

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Michigan

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Institute for Financial Management and Research

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF India), Chennai, India

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

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College campus

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Site Status

Countries

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India

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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2206000666

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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