Mental health effects on adolescent parents of young children: reflections on outcomes of an adolescent parenting programme in South Africa

At-risk families and caregivers from low-and middle-income countries have been shown to benefit parenting interventions. But there is limited evidence on the impact of interventions adolescent parents. This paper considers effects a programme targeting parents in South Africa, emphasising well-being outcomes. Secondly, it explores whether such an intervention can influence depression behaviours. Using quasi-experimental, longitudinal design, data was collected over 2015–2017 113 (aged 12–22 years) who attended three secondary schools Cape Town. Adolescents (biological non-biological parents) were assigned (parenting participation) control groups. They completed assessments parenting, well-being, social context at time-points. Inter-group, time-period differences examined, analyses moderates outcomes conducted. At ten-month follow-up, positive resilience improved for biological both study For group parents, rates increased time. Intervention adolescents with high risk showed smaller improvements supportive than their counterparts. Although resilience, unclear how contributed these results. As included more this highlights importance including mental health support LMIC contexts. The by small sample size reliance self-reported data.