Life Satisfaction and Well-Being at the Intersections of Caste and Gender in India

Perspectives and presentation of mental health among women from rural Maharashtra (India): A qualitative study

Objectives

A significant gap is observed between the proportion of individuals suffering from mental health (MH)-related conditions and those receiving adequate MH care services, especially in rural areas. This study highlights and contextualizes MH concerns and its extant knowledge as well as gender roles in rural Maharashtra (India).

Methods

Using in-depth interviews, MH themes were highlighted analytically among 72 female beneficiaries of Svatantra from the six administrative divisions (Konkan, Nashik, Pune, Aurangabad, Amravati and Nagpur) in the state of Maharashtra, India.

Results

The notion that MH concerns exist among women from rural communities was well supported. Along with MH concerns, the participants reported somatic concerns in the context of adverse life experiences. Furthermore, systemic issues such as financial problems, familial concerns, presence of addictions and pressures of gender role-related responsibilities were significant triggers for MH problems.

Conclusions

Overall, this study aimed at improving the understanding of the MH needs of women in rural Maharashtra, which can further catalyze an exploration of their general MH and devise suitable interventions for the same.

Psychological Distress in Low-Income and Economically Marginalized Populations in India: Protective and Risk Factors

Studies at the juncture of development economics and public health take on considerable responsibility in addressing inequality and related mental health distress. Mental healthcare in economically marginalized populations requires depicting the linkages between socioeconomic status and psychological distress. In the present work, a sequential mixed-methods design was used to study 190 people in such communities in India. Gender-dependent psychological distress was found according to the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) with moderate distress in women (M = 26.30, SD = 9.15) and mild distress in men (M = 21.04, SD = 8.35). Regression analysis indicated that gender significantly predicted psychological distress, followed by age, marital status, and the level of education of the head of the family. The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of semi-structured interviews of the six women who scored the highest on the distress scale unveiled three master themes: (1) manifestation of psychological distress, (2) contextual challenges, and (3) sources of strength and resilience. Overall, participants reported a lack of resources, community violence, gender discrimination, and widespread substance use as major contributors to the ongoing distress. These findings can pave the way for future studies to expand beyond independent economic indicators and curate clinical interventions for culturally competent mental healthcare.

The Psychology of Well-Being in the Margins: Voices from and Prospects for South Asia and Southeast Asia

Research and publications on the psychology of well-being have steadily increased in recent decades, but research on the peoples of South Asian and Southeast Asian is quite underrepresented in the research literature. Even as people from the regions comprise one third of the current global population, studies on well-being of individuals and groups from countries in the two regions are disproportionately fewer compared to other countries and regions. The special issue is a modest attempt to call attention to this underrepresentation, and to individuals and groups that are in the margins of these societies. The special issue features 11 empirical studies focused on well-being of people who either face economic hardships, have low-status occupations, experience discrimination due to gender, or experience physical disabilities. The studies highlight how well-being can be conceptualized as an adaptive process, which involves finding meaning and coping and drawing from one’s agency and resources. The studies in the special, while limited in scope, will hopefully serve as catalyst for further research on the psychology of well-being in the two regions in ways that will enrich global theory and research.