Implications for Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Interventions: Findings From Adolescent Focus Group Discussions in Belize, Kazakhstan, and South Africa
van der Westhuizen C. Carvajal-Velez L. de Carvalho Eriksson C. Gatto J. Kadirova A. Samuels R. Siqabatiso Z. Skeen S. Stewart J. Lai J.
January 2023Elsevier Inc.
Journal of Adolescent Health
2023#72Issue 1S105 - S111 pp.
Purpose: This study aimed to understand 10- to 19-year-old adolescents conceptions of mental health and well-being, and suggestions for appropriate interventions, in three low- and middle-income countries to inform the design of adolescent-responsive preventive and promotive mental health programming. Methods: Ninety-one adolescents participated in focus group discussions in Belize, Kazakhstan, and South Africa. The discussions were recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Adolescents were active contributors to the discussions and provided important information and solutions for improving adolescents mental health from interpersonal skills training to interventions in schools and communities. Adolescents identified a need for social emotional skills development, particularly regarding interpersonal relationships and navigating peer pressure and bullying. Furthermore, the discussions highlighted the need for programming to be tailored to the local context regarding language, contextual challenges faced by adolescents, and choice of program facilitators. Adolescents valued supportive interactions with adults in their lives and recommended that programs should include teacher/parent training on interacting with adolescents. Conclusions: These findings highlight that adolescents are valuable partners in developing adolescent health interventions and show that social emotional skills are key components in such interventions. These programs should be culturally and locally appropriate and include components for teachers and parents.
Adolescence , Emotion regulation , Interpersonal skills , Mental health , Mental health promotion and prevention , Preventive medicine and public health , Social emotional skills
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Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring, Data and Analytics Section, UNICEF, New York, NY, United States
Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Maternal Newborn Adolescent Health Unit, Health Section, UNICEF, New York, NY, United States
UNICEF, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Department of Youth Services, Ministry of Health, Belize City, Belize
Institute for Life Course Health Research, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Cape Tsown, South Africa
Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health
Division of Data
Department of Global Public Health
Maternal Newborn Adolescent Health Unit
UNICEF
Department of Youth Services
Institute for Life Course Health Research
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