Discussion:
andDoes
DISORDERS
The study findings highlight the importance of family functioning when examining the link from poverty to adolescent mental health. The study contributes to the scarce evidence suggesting that asset-accumulation opportunities combined with a family strengthening component may improve parenting practices and adolescent mental health in poor households.In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescents (aged 10–19 years) constituting 23% of the total population face an elevated risk of mental health disorders, along with a heightened risk of exposure to poverty and associated strains to family functioning [The high prevalence of mental health disorders among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa is attributed to a range of often interconnected stressors, including poverty, exposure to violence, abuse and neglect, the detrimental effect of HIV, and inadequate health systems [The link between poverty, family functioning, and adolescent mental health has been examined within a theoretical framework that draws upon the social causation argument [Empirical evidence suggests that a strong family functioning is among the most crucial relational factors that can effectively mitigate the impact of poverty on the mental health of adolescents [Numerous studies on adolescent mental health highlight the importance of enhancing family functioning and improving parenting skills through interventions that include parent/caregiver-training, psychoeducation, behavioral theory, and quality of life therapy [A separate body of research focusing on social determinants of adolescent mental health emphasizes the significance of addressing poverty reduction and implementing asset accumulation interventions to improve adolescent mental health [To enhance the existing body of evidence and foster a deeper understanding of the intersection between poverty, family functioning, and mental health of adolescent girls in families impacted by poverty and HIV/AIDS in southern Uganda we examine the following three questions informed by the theoretical framework outlined above:Does asset accumulation intervention, both in isolation and when combined with MFG component, improve family functioning as reported by adolescent girls?Does enhanced family functioning correlate with improved mental health of adolescent girls over the 24-month study period? andDoes family functioning moderate (i.e., affect the direction and/or strength of) the intervention effect on mental health of adolescent girls? Direct effects of the intervention on adolescent mental health were reported elsewhere [