Impact Assessment of School-Based Mental Health Interventions on Depression in Urban Adolescents in South Africa

Depression is a prevalent mental health condition among urban adolescents in South Africa, with significant implications for their academic and social development. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including pre- and post-intervention surveys to assess changes in depressive symptoms (measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire -9; PHQ-9) and focus group discussions with adolescents and teachers. Post-intervention PHQ-9 scores showed a statistically significant decrease of p < 0. 01 compared to pre-intervention levels, indicating effective symptom reduction among participants (n = 350). School-based mental health interventions significantly improved depressive symptoms in urban adolescents, with no adverse effects reported. Future studies should explore the long-term efficacy and scalability of these programmes across different schools and regions.