Concepts of psychosocial distress and help-seeking preferences among Indigenous adolescents: A qualitative study from Jharkhand, India

PLOS Ment Health. 2026 May 4;3(5):e0000492. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000492. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Mental health disorders affect around one in seven adolescents globally. In India, home to one-fifth of the world’s adolescent population, attention to adolescent mental health is increasing, but access to care remains limited, particularly for Adivasi (Indigenous) adolescents. Understanding how Adivasi adolescents conceptualise psychosocial distress and the kinds of support they value is essential to design supportive interventions. We conducted a qualitative study in rural West Singhbhum, Jharkhand. Using purposive sampling, we recruited 88 participants: 53 adolescents aged 10-19 years, 13 teachers, 11 parents, three community health workers, and eight mental health programme staff aged 18-25 years. Trained peer interviewers conducted semi-structured interviews and group discussions with adolescents in the Ho Adivasi language. A team including experienced Ho researchers and peer interviewers analysed data using the Framework approach. Adolescents, parents, and teachers used variations of the Ho root word “udu” to describe distress. “Udu” denoted thoughts or worries, depending on context. Sources of “udu” included family responsibilities and societal expectations that grew with age: girls were expected to do household work and received less support for school, while boys described income-earning pressures and a lack of emotional outlets. Other “udu” causes included violence at home, school, and public spaces, as well as family separation through migration, remarriage, or parental loss. Impacts of severe “udu” ranged from social withdrawal and strained relationships to early marriage, migration for work, and suicide attempts. Adolescents experiencing “udu” preferred informal support from friends, siblings, or teachers, while those with experience of help from respectful community health workers or trusted, trained older peers valued these. Group-based support was widely acceptable. Strengthening access to early care, alongside measures supporting family livelihoods and social protection, could improve Ho and broader Adivasi adolescent mental health.

PMID:42081525 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pmen.0000492