Enhancing Mental Health Outcomes: The Influence of Psychological Flexibility among Young Adults in India

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19484471

Tanu Shree Srivastava¹ and Supriya Chaturvedi² (Department of Psychology, University of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh¹ and Department of Psychology, Avadh Girls Degree College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh²)

Mental health problems are reported to be present in 11% of the Indian population with a high burden on adolescents aged between 15 and 29 years. In this review, we will discuss the utilisation of Psychological Flexibility (PF) – a critical element of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as a prevention strategy in the context of mental health crisis that India is currently grappling under. Based on data from 12 studies with a total participant size of around 3,500 individuals, this paper examines the psychometric properties of PF measures in Indian setting, the mediator role of ‘self-compassion’ and moderator influences of ‘social support’ and ‘cultural pressure’ on the relationship. The results indicate that although PF is a robust predictor of psychological well-being, we need to account for its relevance within the Indian context bearing in mind the collectivist family orientation and school-related stress.