Abstract
Despite the various challenges that adolescents face globally, such as poverty, violence, and geopolitical tensions, which can negatively affect their psychosocial well-being, some adolescents demonstrate resilience, a phenomenon that varies culturally and contextually. This study investigated the resilience of Black adolescents in rural Limpopo, South Africa, focussing on the Vhavenda, Vatsonga, and Balobedu cultural groups. The aim was to construct a culturally and contextually relevant theoretical framework for understanding resilience in these adolescents. The study used an exploratory qualitative design rooted in constructivist grounded theory and employed semi-structured focus group interviews to iteratively gather data. In accordance with the constructivist grounded theory approach, purposive and theoretical sampling procedures were used to recruit 38 participants aged 12 to 17 years for the study. We also interviewed eight community advisory panel (CAP) members. Findings revealed that these adolescents face various psychosocial adversities, including poverty, loss of parents, detrimental school environments, and cultural challenges. Furthermore, these adolescents demonstrated resilience by leveraging personal agency, community support, and a blend of traditional and modern coping strategies. The study highlights the significant role of cultural values and environmental factors in shaping their resilience. Recommendations include the need for resilience building interventions to address the unique challenges faced by these adolescents while valuing their cultural contexts. Overall, this study makes a significant contribution to theory by presenting an Afrocentric model of resilience based on grounded theory. Furthermore, it enhances understanding of adolescent resilience in rural South Africa, providing insights that could improve psychosocial support services and inform policy development for vulnerable adolescents.