Utilizing short experiential teaching methods for school mental health awareness among adolescents from Rural India -...

School-based mental health programs in India predominantly employ didactic approaches. While effective for knowledge transfer, these methods rarely reduce stigma. This pilot study evaluated whether short-duration experiential methods could induce attitudinal change among adolescents in a resource-constrained rural setting.

A quasi-experimental study was conducted in two comparable rural schools in Tamil Nadu (9th-10th grade). School 1 received a two-hour didactic session, while School 2 received a two-hour experiential session. Pre- and post-session attitudes were assessed using a 10-item Likert questionnaire. Within-group changes were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Significant attitudinal improvements were observed exclusively in girls receiving experiential teaching. Specifically, stigma-related perceptions regarding "unfair treatment" (Z = -2.970, p = 0.003) and "fear of seeking help" (Z = -2.034, p = 0.042) showed significant positive shifts. Didactic groups showed minimal change.

Brief experiential modules are feasible and superior to didactic methods for reducing stigma among rural adolescent girls. Integrating participatory activities into school mental health curricula may be essential for behavioural change.