Mental Health Issues of School-Going Adolescents in High Schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Abstract

The study sought to describe and explore the experiences of school teachers and school health nurses in dealing with mental health issues of school-going adolescents in high schools. A qualitative descriptive exploratory design was used to gain an integrated view of the experiences of these school teachers and school health nurses. Semi-structured individual interviews and two focus group discussions were held with teachers and school health nurses, respectively, until data saturation was achieved.  Preliminary analysis ran concurrently with data collection and was finalised using the directed content analysis method. Mental health issues to emerge were inappropriate handling of emotions by adolescents, engaging in risky behaviours and disruptive behaviours by adolescents. The conclusion reached is that there is a clear need for interventions and programmes that would promote social skills among school-going adolescents.