Next Article in Journal
Fall Risk Prediction for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Analysis of Assessment Scale and Evaluation Items without Actual Measurement
Previous Article in Journal
Uterine Fibroid Prevalence in a Predominantly Black, Chicago-Based Cohort
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
IJERPH
Volume 21
Issue 2
10.3390/ijerph21020223
ijerph-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Integrating Mental Health Management into Empowerment Group Sessions for Out-of-School Adolescents in Kenyan Informal Settlements: A Process Paper

by
Joan Mutahi
1,
Beth Kangwana
2,
Dorcas Khasowa
1,
Irene Muthoni
3,
Oliver Charo
4,
Alfred Muli
2 and
Manasi Kumar
1,5,*
1
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 30197-00100, Kenya
2
Population Council–Kenya-Avenue 5, 3rd Floor Rose Ave, Nairobi P.O. Box 17643-00500, Kenya
3
Integrated Education for Community Empowerment, Nairobi P.O. Box 7631-00300, Kenya
4
Rapid Effective Participatory Action in Community Theatre Education and Development, Nakuru P.O. Box 15614-20100, Kenya
5
Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, US-550 First Avenue New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(2), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020223
Submission received: 16 July 2023 / Revised: 28 December 2023 / Accepted: 29 December 2023 / Published: 14 February 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strengthening Child and Adolescent Mental Health Interventions, Systems and Policies for Improved Outcomes at Population Level)
Browse Figures
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

This article presents processes for developing contextualized training procedures to better appreciate partnership, capacity-building experiences, and specific implementation challenges and opportunities for mental and public health teams. The program enrolled 469 out-of-school adolescents to participate in the integration of youth mental health into health and life-skill safe spaces. The teams utilized various methods to achieve process outcomes of restructuring and adapting curricula, training youth mentors, and assessing their self-efficacy before integrating the intervention for 18 months. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic became an additional unique concern in the preliminary and the 18-month implementation period of the program. This necessitated innovation around hybrid training and asynchronous modalities as program teams navigated the two study locations for prompt training, supervision, evaluation, and feedback. In conclusion, out-of-school adolescents face a myriad of challenges, and a safe space program led by youth mentors can help promote mental health. Our study demonstrated how best this can be achieved. We point to lessons such as the importance of adapting the intervention and working cohesively in teams, building strong and trusting partnerships, learning how to carry out multidisciplinary dialogues, and continuous supervision and capacity building. This article aimed to document the processes around the design and implementation of this innovative intervention and present a summary of lessons learned.
Keywords: out-of-school adolescents; Kenya; mental health; stigma; sexual and reproductive health and rights; task sharing; life skills; integrating; intervention out-of-school adolescents; Kenya; mental health; stigma; sexual and reproductive health and rights; task sharing; life skills; integrating; intervention

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Mutahi, J.; Kangwana, B.; Khasowa, D.; Muthoni, I.; Charo, O.; Muli, A.; Kumar, M. Integrating Mental Health Management into Empowerment Group Sessions for Out-of-School Adolescents in Kenyan Informal Settlements: A Process Paper. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 223. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020223

AMA Style

Mutahi J, Kangwana B, Khasowa D, Muthoni I, Charo O, Muli A, Kumar M. Integrating Mental Health Management into Empowerment Group Sessions for Out-of-School Adolescents in Kenyan Informal Settlements: A Process Paper. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2024; 21(2):223. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020223

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mutahi, Joan, Beth Kangwana, Dorcas Khasowa, Irene Muthoni, Oliver Charo, Alfred Muli, and Manasi Kumar. 2024. "Integrating Mental Health Management into Empowerment Group Sessions for Out-of-School Adolescents in Kenyan Informal Settlements: A Process Paper" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 21, no. 2: 223. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020223

APA Style

Mutahi, J., Kangwana, B., Khasowa, D., Muthoni, I., Charo, O., Muli, A., & Kumar, M. (2024). Integrating Mental Health Management into Empowerment Group Sessions for Out-of-School Adolescents in Kenyan Informal Settlements: A Process Paper. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(2), 223. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020223

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop