Common mental disorders (CMD), such as depression and anxiety disorders that affect mothers with young children, are a major public health issue in developing countries. This study investigates the prevalence of CMD and its associated factors among mothers attending a well-child clinic in Mombasa, Kenya. In this cross-sectional study, 429 women were screened for the presence of CMD using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire–20 (SRQ-20). Social support and social stress were measured using the OSLO Social Support Scale and the Life Events Checklist. The prevalence of CMD was 20%. High SRQ scorers were more likely to be single or separated/divorced compared with low scorers. Language, neighborhood, and financial difficulties were found to be significant independent correlates of CMD through multiple logistic regression analysis. Rates of CMD among mothers with young children in Kenya are high. This is important for nurses and pediatricians whose contact offers them an opportunity to detect CMD and refer mothers for appropriate support.

Aims of the study To test the feasibility and acceptability of a group psychosocial intervention called Learning Through Play (LTP) plus Culturally adapted Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CaCBT) for depressed Kenyan mothers with children aged 0‐36 months. Methods used to conduct the study This study was a single‐arm mixed methods feasibility study to test an integrated parenting intervention for postnatal depression in a low‐income rural area of Fumbini village in Kilifi District of Kenya. Women between the ages of 18 and 45 years with children up to 3 years were screened for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9). Those scoring above 10 on PHQ‐9 were interviewed using the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS‐R) to confirm the diagnosis of depression. Assessments were carried out at baseline and at the end of the intervention (3 months), followed by qualitative interviews with 12 women. Qualitative interviews were analysed using thematic analysis from a socio‐constructionist theoretical lens. Results of the study The LTP Plus was both feasible and acceptable with high satisfaction among the participants. Qualitative results showed that the women perceived the intervention as beneficial in reducing the symptoms of depression, coping with stress and negative emotions. The results also indicated a reduction in scores on PHQ‐9, GAD‐7 with an increase in perceived social support, health‐related quality of life and an improvement in mothers’ knowledge about child development at the end of the intervention. Conclusions drawn from the study and clinical implications This study represents the first feasibility research on integrated parenting intervention in Kenya. The results indicated that culturally adapted LTP plus CaCBT is feasible and acceptable in a low‐income setting of Kenya. There is now a need to study the clinical and cost‐effectiveness of LTP plus CaCBT in an appropriately powered larger randomised control trial, with a longer follow‐up period.

Aims of the study: To test the feasibility of a group psychosocial intervention called Learning Through Play (LTP) plus Culturally adapted Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CaCBT) for depressed Kenyan mothers with children aged 0-36 months. Methods used to conduct the study: This study was a single-arm mixed methods feasibility study to test an integrated parenting intervention for maternal depression in a low-income rural area of Fumbini village in Kilifi District of Kenya. Women between the ages of 18 and 45 years with children up to three years were screened for depression using PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire). Those scoring above 10 on PHQ-9 were interviewed using the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R) to confirm the diagnosis of depression. Assessments were carried out at baseline and the end of the intervention (3 months), followed by qualitative interviews with 12 women. Qualitative interviews were analysed using thematic analysis from a social-constructionist theoretical lens. Results of the study: The LTP Plus was both feasible and acceptable with high satisfaction among the participants. Qualitative results showed that the women perceived the intervention as beneficial in reducing the symptoms of depression, coping with stress and negative emotions. The results also indicated that there was a reduction in scores on PHQ-9, GAD-7 with an increase in perceived social support, health-related quality of life and an improvement in mothers’ knowledge about child development at the end of the intervention. Conclusions drawn from the study and clinical implications: This study represents the first feasibility research on integrated parenting intervention in Kenya. The results indicated that culturally adapted LTP plus CaCBT is feasible and acceptable in a low-income setting of Kenya. There is now a need to study the clinical and cost-effectiveness of LTP plus CaCBT in an appropriately powered larger randomised control trial, with a longer follow-up period.