Child Mental Health is being increasingly recognised as a critical component of
holistic development, particularly in culturally diverse and socio-economically
varied regions such as Meghalaya and the wider North-East India. The presence of
unique family structures, community-based lifestyles and indigenous cultural
practices in these regions which has had a significant role in shaping the parenting
practices, and consequently having an effect on the psychological well-being of
children. However, there remains a limited and fragmented body of research which
focusses specifically on the family ecology and child mental health inn these regions.
The study undertakes a systematic review of existing literature to examine the
relationship between family environment, parenting practices and child mental
health in Meghalaya. The review highlights that family ecology in Meghalaya –
characterised by matrilineal traditions, strong kinship networks, and community
cohesion – can significantly serve both as protective and risk factor for child mental
health. The findings also reveal a lack of structured parenting awareness
programmes and limited integration of mental health education. The paper
concludes that a contextually grounded, education-driven approach to family
ecology can significantly enhance child mental health outcomes in Meghalaya and
the broader North-East region, contributing to more inclusive and sustainable
mental health promotion strategies.
Family Ecology, Child Mental Health, Parenting Practices, Meghalaya