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HEALTH

The Claim

There are a sufficient number of randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies evaluating emotional regulation interventions to reduce suicide risk among children and adolescents in India to support a systematic review.

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The Short Version

The evidence does not support this claim. While India has studies on adolescent emotional regulation broadly (e.g., school-based life skills programs), these do not measure suicide risk as an outcome. The only India-linked suicide/self-harm intervention identified (ATMAN) is a mixed-method case series, not an RCT or quasi-experimental study, and its authors explicitly call for future RCT evaluation. WHO India, targeted PubMed searches, and peer-reviewed LMIC syntheses all confirm a scarcity of qualifying trials meeting the claim's specific criteria.

Caveats

  • The 14 India-based studies cited in one supporting source (Source 5) address general emotional regulation in adolescents, not suicide risk reduction — conflating these categories overstates the available evidence.
  • The ATMAN intervention, the most frequently cited India-specific example, is a mixed-method case series that explicitly requires further evaluation in a randomized controlled trial, so it does not meet the RCT/quasi-experimental threshold stated in the claim.
  • A targeted PubMed search as of April 2026 and WHO India reporting both indicate no documented India-based RCTs or quasi-experimental studies meeting the narrow criteria of emotional regulation interventions for youth suicide risk.

The Receipts

  1. Mental Health in India

    World Health Organization India

  2. Suicide prevention psychosocial interventions for youth in low - PMC

    PMC (PubMed Central)

  3. Search results for emotional regulation interventions for suicide risk in Indian children and adolescents

    PubMed

  4. The patterns, trends and major risk factors of suicide among Indian adolescents—A scoping review protocol - PMC

    PMC

  5. Factors affecting and the strategies to enhance emotional regulation among adolescents in South Asian countries: a systematic review - PMC

    PMC

  6. Design of a brief psychological intervention for youth who self-harm

    PMC (PubMed Central)

  7. छात्रों के मानसिक स्वास्थ्य और आत्महत्या की रोकथाम पर राष्ट्रीय कार्य

    Press Information Bureau

  8. Suicide prevention program on suicidal behaviors and mental wellbeing among school aged adolescents: a scoping review - Frontiers

    Frontiers

  9. Effectiveness of ATMAN psychological intervention in reducing self-harm in young people in India: a mixed method case series | Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health

    Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health

  10. Multistate study on suicide risk reduction and improving mental well-being among school and college students in India – an implementation research study protocol - Frontiers

    Frontiers

+ 10 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

children and adolescentsemotional regulation interventionsIndiaquasi-experimental studiesrandomized controlled trials

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