Kenya: How a Simple Group Therapy Programme Is Helping Depressed Teen Mothers in Kenya

What the report says

A Conversation Africa analysis published by AllAfrica says a group therapy approach is showing promise for depressed pregnant and parenting adolescents in Kenya, where stigma, disrupted schooling, financial strain and limited mental health services often leave young mothers without support. The report is based on researchers’ trial in Nairobi and focuses on adolescents receiving care at two maternal and child health clinics.

The study involved 122 girls and young women aged 13 to 18 who were randomly assigned to standard care, a four-session group interpersonal psychotherapy programme, or an eight-session version. According to the authors, the sessions were designed to strengthen communication, relationships, social support and coping during major life changes. Trained nurses screened participants, while community health promoters led sessions under supervision from psychologists, using a collaborative care model linked to the World Health Organization’s mental health task-sharing framework.

The analysis says both therapy versions reduced depressive symptoms more than standard care. It argues that the findings are important because Kenya has too few psychiatrists and many specialists work in cities, while mental health care is rarely built into routine maternal services. The authors suggest that group-based, non-specialist-led therapy could be scaled through existing primary and maternal health systems, offering a practical way to close treatment gaps and improve outcomes for young mothers and their children.