What the study found
The study presents a large dataset on adolescent mental health in Kenya, based on information from 17,089 adolescents in 63 public secondary schools across four counties. The dataset includes depression and anxiety symptoms, along with multiple psychosocial and socio-demographic measures.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say the dataset helps address a lack of reliable, contextually representative data on adolescent mental health in Kenya and other low- and middle-income countries. The study suggests it may be useful for understanding depression and anxiety, identifying possible risk and protective factors, and supporting validation of mental health instruments in sub-Saharan African settings.
What the researchers tested
The researchers collected self-report, paper-based questionnaire data in 2023 from adolescents in public secondary schools in four Kenyan counties. The dataset includes depression and anxiety symptoms, twelve other psychosocial measures, and socio-demographic information.
What worked and what didn't
The dataset appears to provide broad coverage of adolescent mental health-related information, including adverse childhood experiences, digital stressors, family and emerging stressors, and help-seeking behaviours. The abstract does not report specific analytic results, comparisons, or failures of particular measures.
What to keep in mind
This article describes a dataset rather than reporting findings from a hypothesis test. The abstract does not describe study limitations in detail beyond noting the broader lack of reliable data in this area.
Key points
- The dataset includes 17,089 adolescents from 63 public secondary schools in four Kenyan counties.
- Data were collected in 2023 using self-report paper-based questionnaires.
- Measures include depression and anxiety symptoms, plus 12 other psychosocial variables and socio-demographic data.
- The authors say the dataset fills a gap in contextually representative adolescent mental health data for Kenya and other LMICs.
- The study suggests the dataset may support instrument validation in sub-Saharan African contexts.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Kenyan adolescent mental health dataset spans 17,089 students
- Authors:
- Rosine Baseke, Rachael N. Kilonzo, Maureen Ngesa, Purity Mwende, Tom G. Osborn
- Institutions:
- African Institute for Development Policy
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-29
- OpenAlex record:
- View
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.