Can the Western-Based Psychological Capital Intervention Improve Mental Health in the Indian context? A Pilot Study among Female College Students in Kerala

Abstract

With growing concerns about female mental health and inadequate services in India, there is a rising need for
interventions to build women‘s psychological capabilities and increase well-being. PsyCap interventions (PCI) focusing
on Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism (HERO), have shown promise in the West, but remain under explored in
India. This study is the first to assess the PCI approach among female undergraduate students in Kerala, India. The
quasi-experimental study involved a one-sample pretest-post-test design. Thirty-six female undergraduate students
underwent a two-day PCI. Within-group differences in PsyCap, PERMA, and Satisfaction with Life levels were measured
pre-intervention and post-intervention. The findings revealed significant increases in PsyCap, Hope, Resilience, and
Efficacy and Satisfaction with Life (Subjective Well-being). Optimism and PERMA (psychological well-being) showed
no significant change from the pretest to the post-test. The results address the critical need for employing PCI as a nonspecialist
mental
health
intervention
to
build
female
students‘
psychological
capabilities
in
academic
settings.