Therapy, Mental Health, and Human Capital Accumulation among Adolescents in Uganda
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Washington, DC: World Bank
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Using a cluster-randomized trial,
this paper evaluates the impact of group-based interpersonal
therapy on mental health and human capital accumulation
among adolescent girls in Uganda who were at risk of
moderate or severe depression at baseline. The study was
designed to test whether lay provider–led group-based
interpersonal therapy for adolescents could be effectively
scaled up using modest resources in a low-income country. It
also tested whether a lump-sum cash transfer offered at the
end of therapy provided any additional benefit. The findings
show that group-based interpersonal therapy increased the
share of adolescents with minimal depression by 20-30
percent 12 months after therapy, but these effects
dissipated by the 24-month follow-up. Small short-term
effects on human capital accumulation were also not
sustained at 24 months. Surprisingly, the marginal effect of
providing cash transfers to group-based interpersonal
therapy beneficiaries on mental health was large and
negative, persisting two years after baseline. The paper
provides suggestive evidence that the adolescents were
frustrated by their inability to use the cash toward their
own goals because of the need to divert funds toward the
essential needs of their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Palabras clave
ADOLESCENCE, MENTAL HEALTH, GROUP INTERPERSONAL PSYCHOTHERAPY, CASH TRANSFERS, COVID-19