Group-based psychoeducational workshop for parents in Kenya: findings from a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Global Mental Health
• Public Health Interventions
• Parenting Education

Background:

• Low parental mental health literacy negatively impacts youth wellbeing and help-seeking.
• Kibera, Nairobi, is a high-risk, low-resource setting with specific challenges for families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a brief psychoeducational workshop on parent mental health literacy.
• To assess the workshop's effect on family relationships in a Kenyan context.

Main Methods:

• A psychoeducational workshop was delivered to 72 parents by trained facilitators.
• Data collected at baseline, post-workshop, and at two-week and one-month follow-ups.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements observed in parent mental health literacy scores.
• Positive changes noted in family relationship measures.
• The workshop demonstrated acceptability and effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• Brief, group-based psychoeducational workshops are effective for enhancing parent mental health literacy and family relationships.
• This intervention model can address challenges faced by parents and youth in similar settings.
• Further research is needed to explore effects on participants' mental health and child behavior perception.