Mapping mental health awareness programs among adolescents in South Africa: a scoping review
1
department of health, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Globally, 10–20% of adolescents face mental health disorders, with 14% affected in South Africa. Despite existing policies and school-based frameworks, significant gaps remain in implementation, particularly in awareness and early intervention. Schools offer a platform for mental health promotion, yet few well-documented, adolescent-focused awareness programs exist.
METHODS:
The scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, and a systematic search was conducted in Sabinet, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Wiley Online Library, covering English-language studies published between January 2020 and January 2025. A total of 4881 records were identified, including 20 from manual searches, with 39 articles meeting the inclusion criteria for final synthesis.
RESULTS:
Study findings discovered several programs in South Africa to enhance mental health awareness among adolescents. The Integrated School Health Policy was implemented across all nine provinces which provides comprehensive school health and psychosocial support through collaboration among various stakeholders. The Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions program which targets 10-15 with internalizing disorders like anxiety and depression was implemented in 4 Cape Town schools. In Khayelitsha, the Health Action in Schools for Thriving Adolescent Generation program was implemented to support learners aged 11-15 by fostering thriving school environments and peer support. Despite these efforts, challenges such as inconsistent attendance, logistical barriers, insufficient resources, concerns about sustainability, and inadequate school capacity to address critical learner vulnerabilities were identified. This results in the high prevalence of anxiety and depression.
CONCLUSIONS:
The review highlights a clear gap in the implementation and evaluation of structured mental health awareness programs for adolescents in South Africa. Strengthening school-based mental health initiatives, training educators, and addressing systemic barriers are essential steps toward improving adolescent mental health outcomes and closing the existing treatment gap
Globally, 10–20% of adolescents face mental health disorders, with 14% affected in South Africa. Despite existing policies and school-based frameworks, significant gaps remain in implementation, particularly in awareness and early intervention. Schools offer a platform for mental health promotion, yet few well-documented, adolescent-focused awareness programs exist.
METHODS:
The scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, and a systematic search was conducted in Sabinet, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Wiley Online Library, covering English-language studies published between January 2020 and January 2025. A total of 4881 records were identified, including 20 from manual searches, with 39 articles meeting the inclusion criteria for final synthesis.
RESULTS:
Study findings discovered several programs in South Africa to enhance mental health awareness among adolescents. The Integrated School Health Policy was implemented across all nine provinces which provides comprehensive school health and psychosocial support through collaboration among various stakeholders. The Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions program which targets 10-15 with internalizing disorders like anxiety and depression was implemented in 4 Cape Town schools. In Khayelitsha, the Health Action in Schools for Thriving Adolescent Generation program was implemented to support learners aged 11-15 by fostering thriving school environments and peer support. Despite these efforts, challenges such as inconsistent attendance, logistical barriers, insufficient resources, concerns about sustainability, and inadequate school capacity to address critical learner vulnerabilities were identified. This results in the high prevalence of anxiety and depression.
CONCLUSIONS:
The review highlights a clear gap in the implementation and evaluation of structured mental health awareness programs for adolescents in South Africa. Strengthening school-based mental health initiatives, training educators, and addressing systemic barriers are essential steps toward improving adolescent mental health outcomes and closing the existing treatment gap
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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