Mental Health Research in India: Challenges and Practical Considerations

This book addresses the underexplored area of challenges in mental health research in the Indian context by presenting the unique experiences encountered by researchers. This discussion is expected to contribute towards broadening the global perspective on research mental health and illness. Despite being well versed in traditional research methodology topics, researchers often find themselves unprepared for unexpected situations faced in their journey. These include challenges ranging from acquiring ethical approval, developing research designs, and working with vulnerable participants such as those who have lived through loss, trauma, and other mental health challenges. This book offers the experiences and recommendations of researchers who have navigated these challenges successfully, for the benefit of an academic audience. It is expected that these research narratives will contribute towards preparing researchers for the challenges they may encounter in their field work. Overall, this book aims to bridge the gap between textbook information and experiences from fieldwork. We further hope to build awareness and solutions in this area through this attempt. This book also addresses culture specific issues in the research process, ultimately enriching the global discourse on mental health research and practices. This book appeals to a wide readership, including psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists, health policymakers, social workers, health economists, anthropologists, and philosophers, fostering a multidisciplinary and comprehensive understanding of mental health research worldwide and inspiring future initiatives.

Bidisha Banerjee is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Hyderabad Campus. Bidisha’s research focuses on mental health promotion, illness narratives, social and community psychology, and maternal health. Her research projects have been funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research and Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani. Through her work, she aims to understand and promote mental well-being among diverse populations, particularly focusing on the experiences of family carers and marginalised groups. In addition to her research, Bidisha teaches courses on qualitative research methods, social psychology, conflict management, and mental health literacy.

Amrita Deb is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Liberal Arts at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India. Amrita conducts research in the area of psychological resilience and well-being. She is specifically interested in risk and protective factors that stem from individual, social, and cultural components. Some of these research investigations have been funded by Indian Council of Medical Research, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, and Indian Council of Social Science Research. Amrita’s research attempts to identify the wide range of positive outcomes in the aftermath of adversities such as childhood trauma and mental illness. Her teaching interests cover courses on positive psychology, psychological resilience, and mental health covering the history and background of positive psychology and resilience research and their applicability in different domains in the contemporary world.