Feasibility of the use of Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy in schools to treat depression among adolescents in Uganda. A qualitative study

Abstract With the increasing burden of depression among young people in resource-constrained settings worldwide, innovative and cost-effective treatments for depression are needed to mitigate its effects, which are known to cascade into adulthood. High levels of poverty, combined with a limited number of mental health providers in low-resource settings, make the timely treatment of depression, especially among young people, complex, necessitating alternative treatments that are cost-effective and rely less on professionals for delivery. The WHO recommends Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT-G) as a cost-effective treatment for depression. However, although IPT-G is increasingly used in low-resource settings, it typically does not reach adolescents, who spend most of their time at school. Extending IPT-G into schools would offer greater benefits and coverage for young people, but its practicality, viability, and implementability need to be assessed. We engaged 44 adolescents who had attended IPT-G sessions delivered in school settings in in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions, and n = 9 teachers through key informant interviews to explore the feasibility of using IPT-G in schools to treat depression among adolescents, following Bowen’s feasibility study framework. Data were collected between October and November 2025 from one rural and one urban district in Uganda. Data were thematically analyzed using both inductive and deductive approaches. The study findings showed that IPT-G was beneficial to adolescents, helping them deal with life challenges and providing an opportunity to share them openly. They considered IPT-G groups safe spaces, and some even attributed improved academic performance to participation in IPT-G sessions. Teachers found the groups easy to mobilize because children were within a single school space, and some considered the program desirable for providing holistic child support. However, some implementation challenges were identified, including managing sessions alongside tight school schedules, managing teachers' workloads while supporting sessions, and a lack of cooperation from teachers who were not directly involved in the program. Respecting the mental health hour (a gazetted weekly period in the school schedule for mental health care recommended by the Ministry of Education), sensitization across schools, and involving administrators were suggested to improve implementation. Overall, with implementation flexibility, IPT-G is feasible in school settings.