A dataset on adolescent mental health in Kenya

Despite the growing recognition of the mental health crisis among adolescents in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), there remains insufficient reliable data on youth mental health challenges in Kenya and other LMICs. This dataset presents one of the most comprehensive mental health data from N=17,089 adolescents collected in 2023 across sixty-three public secondary schools in four counties in Kenya. Data were collected through self-report paper-based questionnaires and include depression and anxiety symptoms as well as twelve other psychosocial measures capturing adverse childhood experiences, digital stressors, family and emerging stressors, and help-seeking behaviours. Additionally, the dataset includes comprehensive socio-demographic data. The dataset addresses a significant gap in contextually representative data on adolescent mental health as well as possible protective and risk factors and provides useful insights in the experience of depression and anxiety among Kenyan adolescents. The dataset supports psychometric validation of widely used mental health instruments in sub-Saharan African contexts and offers valuable resources for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working on adolescent mental health interventions and policy development.