DH301

SYNDICATE 9

Adult Indian women who have watched Hindi TV serials for at least 2 hours per day for 5 years
are likely to develop psycho-depressive disorders after 50 years of age as compared to others.

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 Problem Statement

• Introduction

• Methodology
1.Overview
2.Survey

• Results

• Robustness Checks

• Conclusion Adult Indian women who have watched Hindi TV

serials for at least 2 hours per day for at least 5 years
are likely to develop psycho-depressive disorders after
50 years of age as compared to others.

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 Introduction

Global Scenario
Psychological effects of excessive television viewing in general and its influence on mental health
1. Research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (2011) indicates a significant association between excessive TV
viewing and depressive symptoms, particularly observed in Brazilian adults.

2. A study by Grøntved and Hu (2011) found a dose-response relationship between TV viewing and depression risk, highlighting that
more than 5 hours per day of TV viewing correlates with a higher risk of depression.

3. The World Health Organization's WMH surveys (Kessler et al., 2017) emphasize the global impact of depressive disorders on
psychosocial functioning and quality of life, affecting various domains of daily life and productivity worldwide.

4. Ustün et al. (2004) discussed in "Functional Impairment in Major Depressive Disorder" highlighted how depressive symptoms
significantly impair psychosocial functioning across multiple domains, underlining the extensive burden of depression on individuals'
daily functioning.

5. Chekroud et al. (2018) explored the link between sedentary behaviors like excessive TV viewing and mental health outcomes,
indicating that such behaviors are more prevalent among individuals with mental disorders, suggesting a potential connection between
sedentary leisure activities and conditions like anxiety and depression.

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 Introduction

Indian Scenario

Specific characteristics of Hindi TV serials, including their portrayal of women and social dynamics and its influence on the
mental health of women.

Hindi TV serials, which are a significant part of Indian popular culture, often portray dramatic and sometimes exaggerated
themes that include family dynamics, social issues, and love stories. These serials can have both positive and negative
impacts on viewers. On the positive side, they can offer escapism, entertainment, and even social education. However,
concerns have been raised about the potential negative effects, such as:

Hindi TV serials carry potential risks for mental health:

• Stereotyped Gender Roles: Shows can reinforce limiting views on women, impacting self-esteem and hindering aspirations.
• Emotional Rollercoaster: The constant drama and emotional intensity can trigger anxiety and stress, especially for sensitive
viewers.
• Unrealistic Comparisons: Idealized portrayals can lead viewers to feel dissatisfied with their own lives and relationships,
contributing to low self-esteem and depression.
• Behavioral Addiction: Excessive viewing can become addictive, causing neglect of responsibilities, social isolation, and
increased stress.

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 Causal Diagram

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 Known & Unknown Factors

Known Factors Unknown Factors

Socio-economic Status Inherent Personality Traits

Education Background Cultural Factors

Employment Status Idle Time

Marital Status

Social Support System

Physical Activity

Previous or Existing Mental Health Conditions

Substance Use

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 Existing Gaps & Their Reasons

1. Lack of Specificity in Research: Many studies focus on the impact of television or media consumption in general without
delving into the specific genres or types of content, such as Hindi TV serials, which have unique cultural and social implications.

2. Cultural Context: Global studies on media effects often prioritize Western media and audiences, leading to a need for more
research focused on non-Western contexts like India. This results in a gap in understanding the unique cultural dynamics and
content portrayal in Hindi TV serials and their specific impact on Indian women.

3. Underrepresentation of Female Audiences: Despite women being significant consumers of television content, research
specifically exploring the psychological effects of media consumption on female audiences, especially within the Indian context, is
limited.

4. Longitudinal Studies: There's a lack of long-term, longitudinal studies that track the effects of prolonged exposure to specific
types of television content, such as Hindi TV serials, on mental health over time. Most studies are cross-sectional, providing only a
snapshot of the impact.

5. Interdisciplinary Approaches: The intersection of media studies, psychology, and cultural studies is crucial for a
comprehensive understanding of this issue. However, interdisciplinary research that combines these perspectives is rare, leading to
gaps in a holistic understanding of the impact.

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 Existing Gaps & Their Reasons

Reasons for These Gaps

1. Research Priorities: Funding and interest in media research often prioritize topics considered to be of
immediate or broader societal concern, such as the effects of violent video games or social media on youth.
This can leave niche areas like Hindi TV serials and their impact on specific demographics understudied.

2. Methodological Challenges: Studying the psychological effects of media consumption involves

complex variables, including individual differences in personality, lifestyle, and media usage patterns.
Designing studies that can isolate the effects of specific types of content is challenging

3. Cultural Sensitivity and Accessibility: Conducting culturally sensitive research that accurately
represents the diverse Indian population and its myriad of languages, cultures, and social norms requires
deep understanding and access to varied demographic groups, which can be a significant barrier.

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 Graphs from our analysis

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 Graphs from our analysis

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 Methodology – Overview

Study Setting: This research is trying to capture a representative sample of women who are above 50, with a
specific focus on the impact of consuming Hindi TV Serials on psycho-depressive disorders after 50 years of age.
The Treatment Group comprises woman consuming Hindi TV Serials for at least 2 hours for at least 5 years.

Data for this study was gathered through responses from 56 women.
We have used PHQ-9 Scale to measure depression.
*Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a commonly used tool to screen for depression. The PHQ-9 consists of
nine questions that assess the severity of depressive symptoms over the past two weeks and gives a number from 0 to
27.

We also collect information for different confounding variables which can influence the outcome, which are used for
imposing different restrictions in the planning phase.

Time Period: We did a retrospective study, analysing the past of adult Indian womans.

Type of Design: Case-Control Study Design

Where exposure data will be collected retrospectively and we study the case and control groups in the present,
and exposure measurements will be taken after the outcome occurrence.

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 Methodology

Sample Size: Collected data for 56 women.

Restrictions in the Planning Phase:

We had to collect data for women who only view Hindi TV serials and not in any other language to account for any
linguistic differences. Controlled for impact of age and any previous traumatic event or psycho-depressive disorder on
our outcome variable.

Outcome Classification: The average PHQ-9 Score came out to be as 6 out of 27 for our data. Therefore, we
classified those woman as depressed whose PHQ-9 Score is above 6. This controls for the impact of age on
depression.

Treatment Group: Women who have Hindi TV Serial consumption of at least 2 hours and for at least 5 years.

Control Group: All other women.

Follow Up: Account for specific factors such as cultural differences, region, socio-economic status. employment
status and family members.

Duration of Exposure: At least 5 years, for atleast 2 hours.

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 Result

We use the Odds Ratio to study the correlation between "Consumption of Hindi TV Serials" and "Psycho-depressive
Disorders after 50 years of age"

Odds ratio is a measure of strength of association between exposure and outcome.

No. of women depressed Not Depressed
Treatment Group 11 (A) 5 (B)
Control Group 8 (C) 8 (D)
*Woman with PHQ-9 Score above 6 are considered as depressed.
*Control Group involving women who are not in the treatment group.

Odds Ratio = Ratio of odds of exposure in cases and odds of exposure in controls = (A/B)/(C/D) = AD/BC
= (11 x 8)/(5 x 8) = 2.2

Women in Treatment Group are more likely to be depressed after the age of 50.

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 Restrictions in Planning Phase

Controlling for Confounding variables in the planning phase using restrictions

We are already restricted for age and linguistic differences in order to control for them. Now, we are imposing
restrictions for any previous psycho-depressive disorders or traumatic events.
No. of women depressed Not Depressed
Treatment Group 9 (A) 5 (B)
Control Group 7 (C) 7 (D)
*Woman with PHQ-9 Score above 6 are considered as depressed.
*Control Group involving women who are not in the treatment group.

Odds Ratio = Ratio of odds of exposure in cases and odds of exposure in controls = (A/B)/(C/D) = AD/BC
= (9 x 7)/(7 x 5) = 1.54

The correlation of watching Hindi TV Serial as per required exposure decreases as we restrict for any previous
psycho-depressive disorders or traumatic events but it is still positive.

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 Robustness Checks

Considering Treatment Group consisting of woman with relatively more exposure. Considering Treatment Group consisting of woman with relatively less exposure.
No. of women depressed Not Depressed No. of women depressed Not Depressed

Treatment 10 (A) 3 (B) Treatment 9 (A) 7 (B)

Group Group
Control 8 (C) 7 (D) Control 7 (C) 8 (D)
Group Group

*More Exposure referring to consumption for more than 3 hours *Less Exposure referring to consumption for less than 2 hours but non-
zero for at least 5 years
Odds Ratio = (10 x 7)/(3 x 8) = 2.92
(Stronger Relationship than Null) Odds Ratio = (9 x 8)/(7 x 7) = 1.47
(Weaker Relationship than Null)

It is observed that the tendency for women to have psychological disorders surpassing 50 years
of age is lessened if their viewing time is less than 2 hours. From this, we conclude that the number
of hours women spend engaged in the serials is directly proportional to their depressive symptoms.

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 Conclusion

For the given survey, we conclude that there is a statistical relation between depression scores and amount of
viewing time of Hindi Television serials for women above 50 years of age.

Further statistical insights that we can draw by easing hypothesis parameters from the survey:

• We observe a positive relationship between the number of years women have been watching TV series
and their diagnosed depression scores, with 71% of women self-reporting anxiousness or sadness
immediately after watching the TV serial for a short period, inflicting mental fatigue.

• It is also observed that the tendency for women to have psychological disorders surpassing 50 years of
age is lessened if their viewing time is less than 2 hours. From this, we conclude that the number of
hours women spend engaged in the serials is directly proportional to their depressive symptoms.

• If we control for any previous traumatic event, we still observe a positive correlation between exposure to
the serial and the outcome of depression although it is weaker than the correlation without controlling.

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 Members:​​
THANK YOU Aashish Tripathy​​
Aditya Singh Bais​​
Open to questions from the Anushka Nalawade​​
Professor and peers Chandrika Agarwal​​
Gaurav Soni​​
Hardi Desai​​
Prithvi Chauhan​​
Desai Rounak Atul​​
Bansod Ajay Ganesh​​