MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG MANAGEMENT EDUCATION STUDENTS: AN INTERVENTIONAL STUDY
Main Article Content
Keywords
Mental Health; Interventions; Management education
Abstract
Students need to be mentally healthy to cope with the rigours of academic life and thereafter in their careers. Mental health outcomes can be modified through various interventions, enhancing the productivity. This study explored the impact of a six-month intervention among Management education students through combination of Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation technique, breathing exercises, videos, weekly reminders and two-monthly follow up sessions. Young’s Internet Addiction Test and DASS-21 scale were to quantify outcomes. Among the students, post- intervention there was a significant fall in number of students with severe to extremely severe depression though the reduction for anxiety and stress was insignificant. Hence including regular mental health interventions in management education is necessary to change behaviour and practices.
References
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6. Jerath R, Crawford MW, Barnes VA, Harden K. Self-Regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback [Internet]. 2015 Apr 13;40(2):107–15. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8
7. Mackereth PA, Tomlinson L. Progressive muscle relaxation a remarkable tool for therapists and patients. In: Elsevier eBooks [Internet]. 2010. p. 82–96. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-7020-3082-6.00008-3
8. Sajadi SA, Ravash F, Farsi Z. Investigation of the effect of Jacobson’s relaxation technique on the fatigue of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Medical Research [Internet]. 2024 Jan 11;29(1):46. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-024-01641-w
9. Nigam, A., & Monitathokchom. A pre-experimental study to assess the effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation technique on selected psychological parameters among patients with mental illness from selected rehabilitation centres and hospitals of Pune City. Specialusis Ugdymas.2022; 1(43):9340–9350.
10. Jay PMMR Pandya Rutu1, Prajapati Nisha1, Patel Vrutta1, Khristi Linus1, Patel. A Study to Assess Effectiveness of Jacobson Progressive Relaxation Technique on Sleep Quality among Elderly in Selected Old-Age Home of Kheda District. Medico-Legal Update [Internet]. 2020 Jul 12; Available from: https://doi.org/10.37506/mlu.v20i3.1385
11. Keptner KM, Fitzgibbon C, O’Sullivan J. Effectiveness of anxiety reduction interventions on test anxiety: A comparison of four techniques incorporating sensory modulation. British Journal of Occupational Therapy [Internet]. 2020 Jul 22;84(5):289–97. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022620935061
12. Zargarzadeh M & Shirazi M. (2014). The effect of progressive muscle relaxation method on test anxiety in nursing students. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research. 2014;19(6): 607–612.
13. Tabarsi S, Mohammad MZ, Roya R & Loghman E. Effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation training on psychological distress of women with multiple sclerosis. Scientific Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2019;7(4):71–79. https://sid.ir/paper/239913/en
14. Young KS. Internet Addiction Test [Internet]. PsycTESTS Dataset. 1998. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1037/t41898-000
15. Lovibond SH & Lovibond PF. Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Psychology Foundation of Australia.1995.
16. Zhang Z, Lin R, Qiu A, Wu H, Wu S, Zhang L, et al. Application of DASS-21 in Chinese students: invariance testing and network analysis. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2024 Oct 23;24(1):2934. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20123-6
17. Chen IH, Chen CY, Liao XL, Chen XM, Zheng X, Tsai YC, et al. Psychometric properties of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) among different Chinese populations: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis. Acta Psychologica [Internet]. 2023 Sep 30; 240:104042. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.104042
18. Cao CH, Liao XL, Gamble JH, Li LL, Jiang XY, Li XD, et al. Evaluating the psychometric properties of the Chinese Depression Anxiety Stress Scale for Youth (DASS-Y) and DASS-21. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health [Internet]. 2023 Sep 7;17(1):106. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00655-2
19. Al-Garni AM, Shati AA, Almonawar NA, Alamri GM, Alasmre LA, Saad TN, et al. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among students enrolled at King Khalid University: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2025 Jan 28;25(1):354. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21277-7
20. Mohamed EF, Mohamed AE, Youssef AM, Sehlo MG, Soliman ESA, Ibrahim AS. Facebook addiction among medical students: prevalence and consequences. Middle East Current Psychiatry [Internet]. 2025 Jan 20;32(1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43045-025-00501-5
21. Gao R, Wang H, Liu S, Wang X, Xiong X, Song SY, et al. Mental well-being and sleep quality among vocational college students in Sichuan, China during standardized COVID-19 management measures. Frontiers in Public Health [Internet]. 2024 May 15; 12:1387247. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1387247
22. Thorell LB, Burén J, Wiman JS, Sandberg D, Nutley SB. Longitudinal associations between digital media use and ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents: a systematic literature review. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry [Internet]. 2022 Dec 23;33(8):2503–26. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-02130-3
23. Hoying J, Melnyk BM, Hutson E, Tan A. Prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, stress, healthy beliefs, and lifestyle behaviors in First‐Year Graduate Health Sciences students. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing [Internet]. 2020 Jan 8;17(1):49–59. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12415
24. Boer M, Stevens G, Finkenauer C, Van Den Eijnden R. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Symptoms, Social Media Use Intensity, and Social Media Use Problems in Adolescents: Investigating Directionality. Child Development [Internet]. 2019 Oct 26;91(4): e853–65. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13334
25. Nazari F, Soheili M, Shaygannejad V & Valiani M. Effect of relaxation on the physical symptoms in women with multiple sclerosis. Journal of Gorgan University of Medical Sciences. 2016; 18(1): 8–15. http://goums.ac.ir/journal/article-1-2649-en.html
26. Dai Z, Jing S, Wu Y, Chen X, Fu J, Pan C, et al. Long-term effects of an online mindfulness intervention on mental health in Chinese nursing students: a randomized controlled trial follow-up. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2025 Feb 19;25(1):682. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21726-3
27. Repo S, Elovainio M, Pyörälä E, Iriarte-Lüttjohann M, Tuominen T, Härkönen T, et al. Comparison of two different mindfulness interventions among health care students in Finland: a randomised controlled trial. Advances in Health Sciences Education [Internet]. 2022 May 3;27(3):709–34. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-022-10116-8
28. Frögéli E, Djordjevic A, Rudman A, Livheim F, Gustavsson P. A randomized controlled pilot trial of acceptance and commitment training (ACT) for preventing stress-related ill health among future nurses. Anxiety Stress & Coping [Internet]. 2015 Mar 11;29(2):202–18. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2015.1025765
29. Åvitsland A, Leibinger E, Resaland GK, Solberg RB, Kolle E, Dyrstad SM. Effects of school-based physical activity interventions on mental health in adolescents: The School in Motion cluster randomized controlled trial. Mental Health and Physical Activity [Internet]. 2020 Aug 1; 19:100348. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2020.100348
30. Smith JJ, Beauchamp MR, Faulkner G, Morgan PJ, Kennedy SG, Lubans DR. Intervention effects and mediators of well-being in a school-based physical activity program for adolescents: The ‘Resistance Training for Teens’ cluster RCT. Mental Health and Physical Activity [Internet]. 2018 Aug 29; 15:88–94. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2018.08.002
2. Crișan AF, Pescaru CC, Maritescu A, Carunta V, Stoicescu ER, Oancea C, et al. A 14-week structured breathing program: an investigation into its impact on psychological health parameters in university students. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2025 Apr 14;25(1):1395. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22585-8
3. Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Scientific Reports [Internet]. 2023 Jan 9;13(1):432. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y
4. Cuijpers P, Noma H, Karyotaki E, Vinkers CH, Cipriani A, Furukawa TA. A network meta‐analysis of the effects of psychotherapies, pharmacotherapies and their combination in the treatment of adult depression. World Psychiatry [Internet]. 2020 Jan 10;19(1):92–107. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20701
5. Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Cadenas-Sánchez C, Estévez-López F, Muñoz NE, Mora-Gonzalez J, Migueles JH, et al. Role of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in the Mental Health of Preschoolers, Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine [Internet]. 2019 Apr 16;49(9):1383–410. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01099-5
6. Jerath R, Crawford MW, Barnes VA, Harden K. Self-Regulation of breathing as a primary treatment for anxiety. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback [Internet]. 2015 Apr 13;40(2):107–15. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-015-9279-8
7. Mackereth PA, Tomlinson L. Progressive muscle relaxation a remarkable tool for therapists and patients. In: Elsevier eBooks [Internet]. 2010. p. 82–96. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-7020-3082-6.00008-3
8. Sajadi SA, Ravash F, Farsi Z. Investigation of the effect of Jacobson’s relaxation technique on the fatigue of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Medical Research [Internet]. 2024 Jan 11;29(1):46. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-024-01641-w
9. Nigam, A., & Monitathokchom. A pre-experimental study to assess the effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation technique on selected psychological parameters among patients with mental illness from selected rehabilitation centres and hospitals of Pune City. Specialusis Ugdymas.2022; 1(43):9340–9350.
10. Jay PMMR Pandya Rutu1, Prajapati Nisha1, Patel Vrutta1, Khristi Linus1, Patel. A Study to Assess Effectiveness of Jacobson Progressive Relaxation Technique on Sleep Quality among Elderly in Selected Old-Age Home of Kheda District. Medico-Legal Update [Internet]. 2020 Jul 12; Available from: https://doi.org/10.37506/mlu.v20i3.1385
11. Keptner KM, Fitzgibbon C, O’Sullivan J. Effectiveness of anxiety reduction interventions on test anxiety: A comparison of four techniques incorporating sensory modulation. British Journal of Occupational Therapy [Internet]. 2020 Jul 22;84(5):289–97. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022620935061
12. Zargarzadeh M & Shirazi M. (2014). The effect of progressive muscle relaxation method on test anxiety in nursing students. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research. 2014;19(6): 607–612.
13. Tabarsi S, Mohammad MZ, Roya R & Loghman E. Effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation training on psychological distress of women with multiple sclerosis. Scientific Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2019;7(4):71–79. https://sid.ir/paper/239913/en
14. Young KS. Internet Addiction Test [Internet]. PsycTESTS Dataset. 1998. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1037/t41898-000
15. Lovibond SH & Lovibond PF. Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Psychology Foundation of Australia.1995.
16. Zhang Z, Lin R, Qiu A, Wu H, Wu S, Zhang L, et al. Application of DASS-21 in Chinese students: invariance testing and network analysis. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2024 Oct 23;24(1):2934. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20123-6
17. Chen IH, Chen CY, Liao XL, Chen XM, Zheng X, Tsai YC, et al. Psychometric properties of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) among different Chinese populations: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis. Acta Psychologica [Internet]. 2023 Sep 30; 240:104042. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.104042
18. Cao CH, Liao XL, Gamble JH, Li LL, Jiang XY, Li XD, et al. Evaluating the psychometric properties of the Chinese Depression Anxiety Stress Scale for Youth (DASS-Y) and DASS-21. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health [Internet]. 2023 Sep 7;17(1):106. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00655-2
19. Al-Garni AM, Shati AA, Almonawar NA, Alamri GM, Alasmre LA, Saad TN, et al. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among students enrolled at King Khalid University: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2025 Jan 28;25(1):354. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21277-7
20. Mohamed EF, Mohamed AE, Youssef AM, Sehlo MG, Soliman ESA, Ibrahim AS. Facebook addiction among medical students: prevalence and consequences. Middle East Current Psychiatry [Internet]. 2025 Jan 20;32(1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43045-025-00501-5
21. Gao R, Wang H, Liu S, Wang X, Xiong X, Song SY, et al. Mental well-being and sleep quality among vocational college students in Sichuan, China during standardized COVID-19 management measures. Frontiers in Public Health [Internet]. 2024 May 15; 12:1387247. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1387247
22. Thorell LB, Burén J, Wiman JS, Sandberg D, Nutley SB. Longitudinal associations between digital media use and ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents: a systematic literature review. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry [Internet]. 2022 Dec 23;33(8):2503–26. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-02130-3
23. Hoying J, Melnyk BM, Hutson E, Tan A. Prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, stress, healthy beliefs, and lifestyle behaviors in First‐Year Graduate Health Sciences students. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing [Internet]. 2020 Jan 8;17(1):49–59. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12415
24. Boer M, Stevens G, Finkenauer C, Van Den Eijnden R. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Symptoms, Social Media Use Intensity, and Social Media Use Problems in Adolescents: Investigating Directionality. Child Development [Internet]. 2019 Oct 26;91(4): e853–65. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13334
25. Nazari F, Soheili M, Shaygannejad V & Valiani M. Effect of relaxation on the physical symptoms in women with multiple sclerosis. Journal of Gorgan University of Medical Sciences. 2016; 18(1): 8–15. http://goums.ac.ir/journal/article-1-2649-en.html
26. Dai Z, Jing S, Wu Y, Chen X, Fu J, Pan C, et al. Long-term effects of an online mindfulness intervention on mental health in Chinese nursing students: a randomized controlled trial follow-up. BMC Public Health [Internet]. 2025 Feb 19;25(1):682. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21726-3
27. Repo S, Elovainio M, Pyörälä E, Iriarte-Lüttjohann M, Tuominen T, Härkönen T, et al. Comparison of two different mindfulness interventions among health care students in Finland: a randomised controlled trial. Advances in Health Sciences Education [Internet]. 2022 May 3;27(3):709–34. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-022-10116-8
28. Frögéli E, Djordjevic A, Rudman A, Livheim F, Gustavsson P. A randomized controlled pilot trial of acceptance and commitment training (ACT) for preventing stress-related ill health among future nurses. Anxiety Stress & Coping [Internet]. 2015 Mar 11;29(2):202–18. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2015.1025765
29. Åvitsland A, Leibinger E, Resaland GK, Solberg RB, Kolle E, Dyrstad SM. Effects of school-based physical activity interventions on mental health in adolescents: The School in Motion cluster randomized controlled trial. Mental Health and Physical Activity [Internet]. 2020 Aug 1; 19:100348. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2020.100348
30. Smith JJ, Beauchamp MR, Faulkner G, Morgan PJ, Kennedy SG, Lubans DR. Intervention effects and mediators of well-being in a school-based physical activity program for adolescents: The ‘Resistance Training for Teens’ cluster RCT. Mental Health and Physical Activity [Internet]. 2018 Aug 29; 15:88–94. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2018.08.002
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Apr 25, 2026
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Dr. Aasawari Neeraj Nalgundwar, Dr. Sumedha Milind Joshi, & Dr. Deepa Haritosh Velankar. (2026). MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG MANAGEMENT EDUCATION STUDENTS: AN INTERVENTIONAL STUDY. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 33(2), 719-727. https://doi.org/10.69980/4fpfvy02
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Author Biographies
Dr. Aasawari Neeraj Nalgundwar
Assistant Professor Healthcare Management Program, Prin. L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research (PGDM), Mumbai, India and Research Scholar, D Y Patil School of Medicine, D Y Patil Deemed to be University, Navi Mumbai, India
Dr. Sumedha Milind Joshi
Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine, D Y Patil School of Medicine, D Y Patil Deemed to be University, Navi Mumbai
Dr. Deepa Haritosh Velankar
Professor, Department of Community Medicine, D Y Patil School of Medicine, D Y Patil Deemed to be University Navi Mumbai, India
How to Cite
Dr. Aasawari Neeraj Nalgundwar, Dr. Sumedha Milind Joshi, & Dr. Deepa Haritosh Velankar. (2026). MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG MANAGEMENT EDUCATION STUDENTS: AN INTERVENTIONAL STUDY. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 33(2), 719-727. https://doi.org/10.69980/4fpfvy02
