Research Plan
Overview
METROPOLIS is an India-based research programme (2024-2029) developing and testing practical, accessible strategies to help university students who are experiencing low mood and life difficulties.
We’re working across university campuses in New Delhi to co-design, deliver, and evaluate three different peer-supported interventions: problem solving, behavioural activation, and study skills training.
Our aim is to better understand how, why, and for whom these interventions work.
Lived experience at the centre
Lived experience is central to METROPOLIS. Young people with personal experiences of mental health problems, especially from marginalised communities, are involved at every stage: developing the original research plan, providing leadership through a Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG), co-designing the interventions, delivering peer support, collection and analysis of research data, and sharing the findings.
Public engagement is led by Sangath and Youth for Mental Health Foundation (YMHF), with the goals of building awareness and dialogue, inviting programme participation, and increasing access to youth mental health support.
Our work: Four interconnected studies
Study 1: Intervention co-design (Completed)
Students with lived experience took part in co-design workshops to create three peer-supported interventions. Each version focuses on a different set of coping skills that may be helpful for university students experiencing low mood and life difficulties. The overall peer support model is called “Saathi Support” (“Saathi” means “peer” in Hindi) and builds on evidence-based approaches and materials previously developed by our team.
Study 2: Measure development (Completed)
This study produced Hindi versions of assessment tools originally written in English. These will be used in the rest of the research. To make sure the translations were accurate and easy to understand, we followed a five-step process:
-
We reviewed and adapted the original questionnaires using World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for translating and adapting tools across cultures.
-
Bilingual psychologists translated the questionnaires into Hindi.
-
Clinical and academic experts then reviewed the translations to check for clarity and relevance.
-
An independent translator translated the Hindi versions back into English to make sure the meaning stayed the same.
-
Finally, we interviewed students to check that the questions were easy to understand and answer.
We then tested the Hindi versions with about 200 students from our partner colleges to make sure the questionnaires were reliable, and accurately measured what they were supposed to measure.
Study 3: Mechanistic trial (Ongoing)
We are implementing a randomised controlled trial (RCT) that compares the three peer-delivered interventions in a sample of university students with low mood. We will measure the effects of the interventions on self-reported depressive symptoms at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months post-randomisation. Other outcomes will include anxiety, functioning, and academic confidence.
To better understand how the interventions bring about change, we will examine factors that may help to explain their effects. In addition, we will compare how much each intervention costs in relation to the benefits it provides.
The trial will be implemented at university sites in New Delhi, with particular efforts made to reach students from marginalised communities.
Study 4: Process evaluation (Forthcoming)
We will carry out interviews with participants and Saathis to better understand which parts of each intervention seemed most helpful or unhelpful, what they believe led to any changes in outcomes, and how participants' personal circumstances may have influenced their experience. By comparing and contrasting responses across the different intervention groups, and linking these findings with insights from Study 3, we aim to build a fuller picture of what made the interventions effective (or not) for different people.
7
partner colleges
400+
young people engaged
20,000+
students reached
7
workshops conducted
Updated as of 15 September 2024