Experiences of integrating a psychological intervention into a youth-led empowerment program

Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are the leading causes of illness and disability in adolescents. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of integrating mental health (MH) services into a youth-led community-based intervention targeting out-of-school adolescents, residing in Kariobangi and Rhonda informal settlements in Kenya. Youth mentors were trained on the Bridging the Gaps (BTG) curriculum that integrated a modified version of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Problem Management Plus (PM+) psychological intervention into a sexual health, life-skills and financial education curriculum. Mentors ran 72 weekly group sessions for 469 adolescents, provided five enhanced one-on-one treatment sessions to those displaying signs of psychological distress, and referred more severe cases. A qualitative survey took place between February-March 2022. In-depth interviews were carried out with 44 adolescents, 7 partners, 19 parents and 11 stakeholders. Four focus group discussions were carried out with 17 mentors. Themes focused on the program’s perceived effectiveness, ability to develop the capacity of mentors to address MH issues, and increased access to MH services.