Abstract
This study examined the prevalence of mental health and associated risks and resilience factors in children and adolescents aged between 9 and 17 years in the uMgungundlovu Education District of the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was applied, to conduct the study in three phases. During the first phase, the quantitative design used the Child and Youth Mental Health Profiling System (CYMHPS). This questionnaire comprised of six mental health tests to identify the prevalence of mental health conditions and risk and resilience factors in children and adolescents. One section of the questionnaire focused on the support children and adolescents needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 1602 children and adolescents were randomly selected from both urban and rural primary and high schools to complete the self-report. The second phase was qualitative and used individual interviews, focus groups and collages, with 21 purposefully selected children and adolescents aged between 9 and 17 years. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS 28.0. From the data quantitative phase, depression, somatization, anger and irritability, ADHD and bipolar disorder were identified as prevalent mental health conditions. Risks identified were grief and loss, poor parenting, poverty and substance abuse. Resilience factors for positive mental health were family, friends or peers, the school and religious affiliations. The results also indicated that, in terms of resilience, the younger participants were more resilient than the older ones, relying highly on caregivers, to develop resilience. Additionally, in terms of depression, girls were more vulnerable than boys. During the second phase, similar themes emerged which corroborated the mental health and risks identified in the first phase of data collection. The emerging themes were in the psychological, social, behavioural, and educational domains.
In the third phase, using the bio-ecological systems, resilience, and Erikson`s theories, the researcher integrated the findings of the first two phases to provide mental health support guidelines for children and adolescents involved in the study.
Keywords: Children, adolescent mental health, ecological model, pragmatism, resilience model, risk, resilience.