Peer-reviewed article
Associations Between Coping, Support, and Mental Health Among Married Adolescent Girls in Northern Ghana
Hajara Baba, Joana Salifu Yendork, Wendy L. Kliewer ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view ·Key points
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Abstract
Abstract: Adolescent girls in child marriage experience mental health problems. However, there are few studies that examined the mental health challenges of married adolescent girls, their ways of coping, and the factors that promote their mental health. This study explored the association of participants’ demographic characteristics, coping, and perceived social support in relation to mental health problems (i.e., symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress) among married adolescent girls in Northern Ghana. Married adolescent girls ( N = 80), aged 13–19 years, completed a demographic questionnaire, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Brief Cope Inventory. Hierarchical linear regression analysis that accounted for associations of age at marriage, number of children, and educational level found that mental health problems were associated with lower levels of social support and with higher levels of negative coping. Further, girls who were less well-educated reported higher levels of mental health problems. These data suggest that opportunities to improve married girls’ mental health could focus on altering coping strategies, particularly negative coping, facilitating support networks, and encouraging education.