Within the National Mental Health Survey (ENSM-2015) approximately nine per cent of individuals aged 12-17 years old report a lack of support when experiencing problems. Additionally, 31.6% reported having some dysfunction at home, with this being severe in 7% of cases; 53.7% reported not participating in any social groups (sports, religious, artistic, or other) and 18.3% reported having been displaced by violence including armed conflict. Given this complex interplay between multiple stress factors within communities, a particular focus has been placed on the mental health needs of adolescents within this region.
Adapt an effective low-cost intervention called DIALOG+, so that it is suitable as a treatment for adolescents with depression and anxiety.
Develop an implementation strategy to promote the uptake of the DIALOG-A intervention in routine practice to improve the health outcomes of adolescents with depression and anxiety.
Assess the feasibility and acceptability of the new intervention which we call DIALOG-A.
Involve adolescents in the research by setting up a participatory arts-based project.