Background It is estimated that almost 20% of the world's adolescents have experienced or are experiencing a mental health problem. Several factors have been associated with the onset of adolescent mental health disorders, including poverty, child abuse and violence, particularly among adolescent girls. This paper examines the effect of participating in a family-based economic strengthening intervention on the mental health well-being of female adolescent orphans impacted by HIV/AIDS in rural Uganda. Methods Data utilized in this study was from the Bridges to the Future Study (2011-2016), an economic empowerment intervention aimed at improving health outcomes of orphaned children. Adolescents were randomly assigned to either the control condition receiving bolstered standard of care services for orphaned adolescents; or one of two treatment conditions receiving bolstered standard of care as well as an economic empowerment intervention comprising of a child development account, a mentorship program and workshops on financial management and microenterprise development. Data was collected at baseline, 12- and 24-months post intervention initiation. Multilinear regression analyses were conducted to examine the impact of an economic empowerment intervention on mental health functioning of female participants over time. Mental health functioning was measured by: (1) the Child Depression Inventory; (2) Beck Hopelessness Scale; and (3) Tennessee Self Concept Scale. Results Analysis results show an improvement in mental health functioning over time among female participants receiving the intervention compared to their control counterparts. Specifically, compared to participants in the control condition, participants receiving the intervention reported a reduction in depressive symptoms from baseline to 12-months follow-up (b = - 1.262, 95% CI - 2.476, - 0.047), and an additional 0.645-point reduction between baseline and 24-months follow-up (b = - 1.907, 95% CI - 3.192, - 0.622). Participants receiving the intervention reported significant improvement in their reported self-concept from baseline to 24 months follow-up (b = 3.503 (95% CI 1.469, 5.538) compared to participants in the control condition. Conclusions Empowerment of young girls, either in the form of peer mentorship and/or economic strengthening seems to significantly improve the overall mental health functioning of adolescent girls impacted by HIV and AIDS in low-income settings.

中文翻译：

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利用基于家庭的经济强化干预措施改善乌干达女性青少年孤儿的心理健康状况。

背景 据估计，世界上近 20% 的青少年曾经历或正在经历心理健康问题。有几个因素与青少年精神健康障碍的发病有关，包括贫困、虐待儿童和暴力，尤其是在少女中。本文研究了参与以家庭为基础的经济强化干预对乌干达农村地区受艾滋病毒/艾滋病影响的女性青少年孤儿的心理健康状况的影响。方法 本研究中使用的数据来自通往未来的桥梁研究 (2011-2016)，这是一项旨在改善孤儿健康状况的经济赋权干预措施。青少年被随机分配到接受加强的孤儿青少年护理服务标准的控制条件；或两种治疗条件之一，接受加强的护理标准以及经济赋权干预，包括儿童发展账户、指导计划和财务管理和微型企业发展研讨会。在基线、干预开始后 12 个月和 24 个月收集数据。进行了多线性回归分析，以检查经济赋权干预对女性参与者心理健康功能的影响。心理健康功能通过以下方式测量：（1）儿童抑郁量表；(2)贝克绝望量表；(3) 田纳西州自我概念量表。结果 分析结果显示，与对照组相比，接受干预的女性参与者的心理健康功能随着时间的推移而有所改善。具体来说，与对照组的参与者相比，接受干预的参与者报告说，从基线到 12 个月的随访期间抑郁症状有所减轻（b = - 1.262, 95% CI - 2.476, - 0.047），并且额外减少了 0.645 点在基线和 24 个月的随访之间（b = - 1.907, 95% CI - 3.192, - 0.622）。与对照组相比，接受干预的参与者报告说，他们报告的自我概念从基线到 24 个月的随访（b = 3.503 (95% CI 1.469, 5.538)）有显着改善。同伴指导和/或经济强化的形式似乎可以显着改善低收入环境中受艾滋病毒和艾滋病影响的少女的整体心理健康功能。接受干预的参与者报告说，从基线到 12 个月的随访抑郁症状有所减轻（b = - 1.262, 95% CI - 2.476, - 0.047），并且在基线和 24 个月的随访之间额外减少了 0.645 个点向上 (b = - 1.907, 95% CI - 3.192, - 0.622)。与对照组相比，接受干预的参与者报告说，他们报告的自我概念从基线到 24 个月的随访（b = 3.503 (95% CI 1.469, 5.538)）有显着改善。同伴指导和/或经济强化的形式似乎可以显着改善低收入环境中受艾滋病毒和艾滋病影响的少女的整体心理健康功能。接受干预的参与者报告说，从基线到 12 个月的随访抑郁症状有所减轻（b = - 1.262, 95% CI - 2.476, - 0.047），并且在基线和 24 个月的随访之间额外减少了 0.645 个点向上 (b = - 1.907, 95% CI - 3.192, - 0.622)。与对照组相比，接受干预的参与者报告说，他们报告的自我概念从基线到 24 个月的随访（b = 3.503 (95% CI 1.469, 5.538)）有显着改善。同伴指导和/或经济强化的形式似乎可以显着改善低收入环境中受艾滋病毒和艾滋病影响的少女的整体心理健康功能。