Mental Health and Economic Participation in Socially Stratified Labor Markets: Evidence from a Randomized Trial in India

Last registered on July 22, 2026

Pre-Trial

General Information

Title

RCT ID

AEARCTR-0019176

Initial registration date

July 15, 2026

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published

July 22, 2026, 8:18 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name

Farnaz Safari Foroushani

Affiliation

Cornell University

Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

Additional Trial Information

Status

In development

Start date

2026-09-01

End date

2028-05-31

Keywords

Behavior, Gender, Health, Labor, Post-conflict, Welfare

Additional Keywords

mental health, depression, guided self-help, behavioral activation, labor supply, earnings

JEL code(s)

C93, I12, I15, J22, J24

Secondary IDs

Prior work

This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.

Abstract

This study tests whether an affordable, scalable mental health program can reduce psychological barriers to work in a socially stratified labor market. I conduct a two-arm randomized controlled trial among working-age adults in India with moderate to severe depression. Participants in the treatment group receive a guided self-help program adapted from the World Health Organization's Step-by-Step protocol, delivered through a chatbot with weekly support calls from trained guides. The control group receives care-as-usual. Randomization is stratified by gender, baseline income, and baseline mental health. Outcomes are measured at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups and cover mental health, economic, and social outcomes, as well as the mechanisms linking mental health to economic participation. Treatment-effect heterogeneity by gender, baseline economic status, and social class is pre-specified.

External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation

Safari Foroushani, Farnaz. 2026. "Mental Health and Economic Participation in Socially Stratified Labor Markets: Evidence from a Randomized Trial in India." AEA RCT Registry. July 22. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.19176-1.0

Sponsors & Partners

Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)

Intervention Start Date

2026-09-01

Intervention End Date

2028-05-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)

Mental health: depression symptom severity (PHQ-9); anxiety symptom severity (GAD-7); subjective well-being (Cantril ladder).
Economic: employment status; labor supply (hours worked); earnings; job search activity; productivity.

Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)

Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Two-arm, individual-level randomized controlled trial. Eligible participants (working-age adults screening positive for moderate to severe depression) are randomly assigned to the guided self-help program or to a care-as-usual control. Randomization is stratified by gender, baseline income, and baseline mental health. Outcomes are measured through follow-up surveys at 3, 6, and 12 months.

Experimental Design Details

Not available

Randomization Method

Randomization done in office by a computer (statistical software), using stratified assignment within matched groups of participants based on baseline characteristics.

Randomization Unit

individual

Was the treatment clustered?

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters

3,500 individuals

Sample size: planned number of observations

3,500 individuals (each observed at baseline and at three follow-up waves)

Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms

1,750 individuals treatment (guided self-help), 1,750 individuals control (care-as-usual)

Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)

Supporting Documents and Materials

IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name

Cornell University Institutional Review Board for Human Participants

IRB Approval Date

2026-07-14

IRB Approval Number

IRB0150736

Analysis Plan