Vol. 11, Issue 5, Part G (2025)

Abstract
This study examines the psychological effects of consulting unauthorized mental health practitioners (UMHPs) in India, focusing specifically on self-esteem and social interaction anxiety (SIA). This research aims to explore the relationship between self-esteem and SIA among clients who sought guidance from UMHPs, assess the impact of self-esteem on SIA, and compare the levels of self-esteem and SIA between metropolitan and non-metropolitan clients. The study tested two primary hypotheses: (1) clients who consult unauthorized mental health practitioners experience lower self-esteem and higher levels of social interaction anxiety, and (2) clients from metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas will show significant differences in self-esteem and SIA. A total of 144 participants, all of whom had consulted unauthorized mental health practitioners, were surveyed. Data collection involved Pearson’s correlation and linear regression analysis to assess the relationship between self-esteem and SIA, and independent samples t-tests to compare the two groups’ self-esteem and SIA scores. The results revealed that self-esteem and SIA were negatively correlated (r = -0.453, p < .001), confirming that lower self-esteem is associated with higher levels of social interaction anxiety. Additionally, regression analysis showed that self-esteem significantly predicted SIA (β = -1.31, p < .001), explaining 20.5% of the variance in SIA levels. However, no significant differences were found between metropolitan and non-metropolitan clients in either selfesteem or SIA, which led to the rejection of the second hypothesis. This suggests that the psychological impact of UMHPs may be consistent across different geographic contexts