Catalyst: Better Mental Health for Young Mozambican Mothers

Tatiana Salisbury of King's College London in the United Kingdom along with colleagues at the Royal College of Art in the United Kingdom and the Manhiça Health Research Centre in Mozambique will develop a strategy to improve the mental health of young mothers in Mozambique by adapting existing technology-based and group-based methods to teach them life skills such as parenting and social skills. Almost half of Mozambican girls have had a baby by the time they are 18 years old. Together with associated events including being excluded from school and family conflicts, this can damage their mental health and lead to suicide. They will recruit experts in mental and maternal health and implementation science, analyze resources and local infrastructure, and, together with young mothers, their families, and other stakeholders, co-develop the skill-strengthening and delivery methods. Delivery methods to be analyzed include text messaging, mobile phone applications, and group meetings. They will then pilot test their strategy with three different delivery methods using up to 60 pregnant and young mothers (aged 15-24 years) over four months, and evaluate their effect on mental health.