Implementation outcomes of the waves for change community-based task-shared prevention intervention for adolescent mental health in South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Adolescents face increased vulnerability to mental health conditions, particularly when exposed to multidimensional poverty and trauma and pronounced treatment gaps. Waves for Change, a Sport for Development (SfD) intervention, employs task-sharing through its '5-Pillar Method' to build resilience and prevent mental health conditions among at-risk adolescents in South Africa. This study assessed the implementation outcomes of this Method using a mixed-methods design, incorporating interviews, focus groups, self-report questionnaires, document reviews and routine site assessments, with 69 stakeholders including staff, peer coaches, mental healthcare providers, social workers, teachers, and adolescents. A thematic analysis revealed key facilitators to successful implementation, including: a

SUBMITTER: Davies T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12322778 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature