This month's article spotlight features three studies that are sure to pique every mental health practitioner’s interest. The first is a desi study that demonstrates how communities can improve adolescent mental health in India. Another reveals (it’s not a secret anymore) how young people are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for psychological support. The third shows that therapy can foster positive emotions rather than simply reduce distress, potentially offering a powerful new direction for treating depression and anxiety and making therapy more appealing to a wider audience.
#1. Adolescent Mental Health Care and Stigma: The ARTEMIS Randomized Clinical Trial
Why this study matters
Nearly 12 million adolescents in India live in slums, where access to mental health care is extremely limited. While the burden of depression and suicide risk is high, most interventions rely on specialist services that are often inaccessible. This study asked an important question: Can communities themselves become part of the solution?
What the researchers did
Researchers conducted a cluster randomized clinical trial across 60 urban slums in New Delhi and Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, involving 3,739 adolescents aged 10–19 years. Participants were followed for 12 months, and outcomes were compared with adolescents receiving usual care. The intervention had two key components:
A multimedia anti-stigma campaign to improve knowledge and attitudes about mental health.
A digital mental health programme, led by trained primary healthcare workers, to identify and support adolescents at high risk of depression or self-harm.
What the researchers found
The intervention significantly improved mental health knowledge, attitudes, and anticipated behaviour. Adolescents at higher risk also showed lower depression scores after 12 months, although the difference in remission rates was not statistically significant. Importantly, the programme demonstrated that evidence-based mental health care can be successfully delivered through community health systems rather than relying exclusively on specialists.
Recommended Read: Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
#2. AI Chatbot Use and Disclosure for Mental Health Among US Adolescents and Young Adults
Why this study matters
AI chatbots are becoming an increasingly common source of emotional support, especially for young people. Yet, little was known about how many adolescents were using AI for mental health advice, how often they relied on it, and whether they told anyone about it. This study asks: what percentage of US adolescents and young adults used artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for mental health advice?
What the researchers did
Researchers conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 1,009 adolescents and young adults aged 12 to 21 years across the United States in 2025. Participants were asked whether they had ever used an AI chatbot for mental health advice, how frequently they used it, whether they found the advice helpful, and whether they disclosed their use to friends, parents, teachers, or healthcare professionals.
The researchers also examined whether chatbot use differed across demographic groups.
What the researchers found
Nearly 1 in 5 young people reported using an AI chatbot for mental health advice.
Among those users, 42.8% interacted with chatbots at least once a month, and 91.7% considered the advice somewhat or very helpful. However, 63.3% said they had not disclosed their chatbot use to anyone.
Chatbot use was more common among older adolescents and young adults, females, and those who had recently discussed their mental health with a physician.
The findings suggest that AI chatbots are already becoming part of the youth mental health landscape. They also highlight the need for clinicians and families to talk openly about chatbot use and ensure that young people remain connected to safe, evidence-based care.
#3. Positive Affect Treatment for Depression, Anxiety, and Low Positive Affect: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Why this study matters
Many people with depression also experience anhedonia, a reduced ability to experience pleasure or positive emotions.It often persists even after traditional psychotherapeutic treatment. This study investigated: Positive Affect Treatment, a therapy designed to increase positive emotions and strengthen reward-related processes, could produce better outcomes than a therapy focused primarily on reducing negative emotions.
What the researchers did
Researchers conducted a multisite, randomized clinical trial involving 98 adults with moderate to severe depression or anxiety and severely low positive affect. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either:
Positive Affect Treatment (PAT): a 15-session therapy designed to increase positive emotions, motivation, and engagement with rewarding experiences.
Negative Affect Treatment (NAT): a comparison therapy focused on reducing distress and negative emotions.
Participants completed 15 weekly individual therapy sessions, and researchers assessed changes in depression, anxiety, anhedonia, positive affect, and reward-related processes during treatment and at a one-month follow-up.
What the researchers found
Participants who received Positive Affect Treatment showed greater overall improvements in depression, anxiety, and positive affect than those who received Negative Affect Treatment. These benefits were maintained at the one-month follow-up. The researchers also found that improvements in self-reported reward processing, such as anticipating and enjoying rewarding experiences. These were closely linked to better mental health outcomes.
Interestingly, these changes were reflected in participants' self-reports rather than behavioural or physiological measures, suggesting that how people experience reward may be a key mechanism through which therapy works. This study suggests that actively building positive emotions may be equally important, opening new possibilities for treating common mental health conditions.
"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes."
Community Spotlight
This week, we're featuring Dr. Shreeya, who is an Educator, Researcher, and Counselling Psychologist.
She has a doctorate in Psychology from Delhi University and a postgraduate degree in Psychology with a specialisation in Counselling, with over 6 years of experience as a practicing Counselling Psychologist.
She believes that therapy is, first and foremost, about creating a space where you can show up as your authentic self—without fear of judgment, labels, or expectations. She works with individuals and couples, offering a warm, collaborative, and compassionate environment to explore life's challenges, relationships, emotions, and personal growth.
Her approach to therapy is person-centred, trauma-informed, queer-sensitive, and intersectional-feminist.
Learn more or book a session:
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