Mixed methods pilot study of MindSKILLZ among adolescents in Kenya

Brief Summary

Background

Young people in Eastern and Southern Africa face significant mental health challenges, but the vast majority have little or no access to mental health care or support services.

What Grassroot Soccer did

Grassroot Soccer implemented MindSKILLZ, a sport-based mental health program delivered by trained near-peer coaches, among 251 adolescents aged 10–14 years in Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya.

What the study found

Participants showed positive trends across all mental health measures, including wellbeing, depression symptoms, stigma, and emotional regulation. Improvements continued to grow at follow-up. Coaches also reported gains in their own mental health knowledge and coping skills. The program was highly acceptable to participants and stakeholders alike.

Why this matters

MindSKILLZ shows promise as a scalable, low-resource approach to addressing the youth mental health gap in sub-Saharan Africa. Because it can be delivered by lay coaches rather than clinical professionals, it has strong potential for broad reach in settings where mental health services are scarce.

DETAILED SUMMARY

Importance

Young people in Eastern and Southern Africa face critical mental health challenges, and most have little or no access to mental health care and support.

Objective

To assess preliminary effects of MindSKILLZ on mental health assets, depression symptoms, emotional and conduct problems, and well-being among adolescents aged 10–14, using an interrupted time series design with two pre- and two post-intervention surveys (August 2023–March 2024), in Nairobi and Mombasa counties, Kenya.
To explore effects on Coaches’ mental health and to understand the program’s acceptability, sustainability, and scalability among adolescents, Coaches, and county health stakeholders.

Study details

Study design: Mixed methods with interrupted time series (ITS) design
Data collection tools: Matched pre/post surveys (twice before and twice after), focus group discussions and key informant interviews with adolescent participants, Coaches, and key County Department of Health and implementing stakeholders post intervention
Participants: Male (n = 110) and female (n = 141) adolescents aged 10-14 years (n = 251)
Implementation setting: Nairobi (n = 121) and Mombasa (n = 130) counties of Kenya
Study period: August 2023 to March 2024

Intervention

MindSKILLZ is a sport-based mental health promotion and prevention intervention delivered to adolescents aged 10-14 years by trained near-peer mentors (Coaches).

Results

Surveys (n = 251) showed positive trends across all quantitative measures, though results were not statistically significant
Mental wellbeing, depression symptoms, mental health stigma, support seeking, emotional symptoms, and conduct problems improved from Time 2 (pre-intervention) to Time 3 (immediately post-intervention) – and these improvements mostly grew stronger at Time 4 (follow up)
Participants described enhanced coping skills and improved stress and anger management from MindSKILLZ
Coaches described increased mental health knowledge, coping skills, patience, cooperation, and self-esteem
MindSKILLZ was highly acceptable, with key stakeholders mostly highlighting its potential for sustainability and scale given its low resource demands

Conclusions and implications

Findings demonstrate high program acceptability and suggest promising effects on adolescent wellbeing and other key mental health outcomes
The intervention could potentially address a critical mental health service gap, as it can be universally delivered by lay providers

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Citation

DOI

Year: 2026

Authors: Lee DEZ, Nyauchi B, Kihiu M, Kimathi R, Okoth EA, Chazara A, Barkley CK, Dallos A, Waruinge S, Oyaro P, Kithinji CM, Cerna-Turoff I, Cohen I, Merrill KG, Otiso L

Lee DEZ, Nyauchi B, Kihiu M, Kimathi R, Okoth EA, Chazara A, Barkley CK, Dallos A, Waruinge S, Oyaro P, Kithinji CM, Cerna-Turoff I, Cohen I, Merrill KG, Otiso L. The MindSKILLZ sport-based mental health promotion intervention for adolescents in Kenya: a mixed methods pilot study. Front Public Health. 2026;14:1746268. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2026.1746268.