Author Name: Ms. Sonal Aggarwal, Dr. Sundeep Katevarapu & Aarzoo Date: 25-03-2026
This paper investigates the relationship between cultural rootedness-defined as the extent to which individuals’ sense of identity, values, and meaning-making are grounded in their indigenous cultural heritage-and psychological well-being among Indian youth, with specific attention to the mediating role of media consumption patterns. Drawing on the Cultural Rootedness and Media Well-Being Model (CRWM), the study argues that cultural rootedness functions as both a direct predictor of well-being and as a moderator of the relationship between media consumption and psychological health outcomes. A mixed-methods investigation involving a cross-sectional survey (N = 580) and in-depth qualitative interviews (N = 36) was conducted with Indian youth aged 17–25 across urban, semi-urban, and rural settings. Survey findings indicate that cultural rootedness scores were significantly positively associated with life satisfaction (r = .47, p < .001), positively associated with meaning in life (r = .53, p < .001), and negatively associated with depression symptoms (r = -.39, p < .001). Importantly, cultural rootedness moderated the relationship between Westernized media consumption and depressive symptoms, with high-rootedness participants demonstrating significantly reduced vulnerability to the depressogenic effects of Western-normative content. Qualitative findings revealed five dimensions of the lived experience of cultural rootedness in digital media contexts: the navigation of cultural hybridity, the role of family and community in cultural anchoring, the experience of cultural pride versus shame in digital public spaces, the use of IKS content for psychological restoration, and the challenge of authentically expressing cultural identity in digitally mediated environments. The paper concludes with implications for culturally grounded media education, mental health promotion, and the design of digital platforms that support rather than undermine cultural rootedness among young users.
Keywords: cultural rootedness, media consumption, youth well-being, Indian identity, IKS, digital media, life satisfaction.
