Pilot Evaluation of the Thriving Mamas Programme

Pilot Evaluation of the Thriving Mamas Programme for Adolescent Perinatal Mental Health

The goal of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability of a mental health prevention intervention among adolescents during pregnancy and the year after birth (perinatal period) in Kenya and Mozambique. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Is the intervention feasible, acceptable, appropriate, and delivered/received with high fidelity, to adolescent girls, their friends/family members and service providers?
• Are the implementation strategies acceptable, appropriate, feasible to all relevant stakeholders?
• What impact does the intervention have on adolescent mothers' mental health?
• What impact does the intervention have on adolescent mothers' social, economic, and education outcomes?

Participants will:

• Participate in nine individual and group sessions focused on improving mental and perinatal health literacy and increasing life skills
• Receive standard perinatal care

Researchers will compare findings with girls receiving standard perinatal care only to see if the intervention has an impact on adolescents' mental health, social, economic and education outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Mentor mothers: (A) aged 20 years or older; (B) female; (C) experience of pregnancy and/or parenting; and (D) live within the study site
• Adolescent girls: (A) up to 28 weeks pregnant; and (B) aged 15-19 years
• Friends/family members: (A) identified by an adolescent or young woman participating in the study; (B) participation agreed by other participating girls; and (C) aged 18 years or older

Exclusion Criteria:

• Mentor mothers will be excluded from participating if they are unable to attend training or deliver the intervention sessions
• Adolescent girls will be excluded from the study if they are unable to provide informed consent or are unable to participate in the intervention, due to existing health conditions
• Friends/family members will not be excluded so long as they meet inclusion criteria