Adolescent Mental Health and Education: Breaking Barriers to Learning

As we celebrate International Day of Education, it’s important to address an often-overlooked factor that can affect students’ success: mental health. For many adolescents, untreated depression creates a significant barrier to learning, preventing them from reaching their full potential. We know that treating depression in adolescents can have a protective effect as well, providing self-awareness, improved interpersonal skills, and restored hope and resilience. 

At StrongMinds, we’ve seen how treating depression unlocks opportunities for young people to thrive in the classroom and beyond. 

The Relationship Between Mental Health and Education 

Adolescents struggling with depression often face challenges that impact their school performance. From difficulty concentrating to missing classes, the effects of untreated mental health issues ripple through their education. 

For students like Luwi, an 18-year-old living in Zambia, depression meant she couldn’t focus or make herself study, and she began to isolate herself from her friends and family. Her school performance started to decline. However, through StrongMinds group therapy, Luwi was able to get to the root of her depression: her mother who left the family when she was only a toddler. She learned to process her grief and work toward accepting her situation. With her new outlook on life, Luwi’s sense of isolation disappeared, and she saw an improvement in her studies. As a passionate baker, her dream of opening a bakery one day seemed within reach. 

For Olipa, a teenager in Zambia, the death of her father sent her into a depressive spiral leading to loss of appetite, weight loss, and disturbed sleep, ultimately affecting her grades in school. Through our group therapy program, Olipa learned how to confront her grief and improve her relationship with her other family members, including her stepfather. Overcoming depression allowed Olipa to pursue her dreams and rediscover her passion. “My life is not the same now,” she declared. “I now have an insatiable appetite for the things I never used to. I am now in grade 11, working hard to score 6 points in grade 12 and become a lawyer or a pilot.” 

At StrongMinds, we know that with access to therapy, adolescents can overcome depression and rediscover their ability to learn and succeed. Our approach is unique because we not only work with the Ministries of Education in Uganda and Zambia, but we also work to train teachers to provide group talk therapy to their students. By psychoeducating teachers, we not only help adolescents in the classroom, but the teachers can take that knowledge into their communities. 

The Impact of Adolescent Mental Health and School Performance 

The progress among adolescents receiving group talk therapy has been remarkable. 

• 15% increase in school attendance: Adolescents who completed therapy were more likely to stay in school and fully engage with their education.
• 144% improvement in academic performance: After treatment, over twice as many adolescents rated their grades as “good,” “very good,” or “excellent.” This shows how addressing adolescent mental health and education leads to better school performance and greater confidence. 
• 15% increase in hope for the future: Depression treatment helped more adolescents report feeling “always” or “often” hopeful about their future, an essential ingredient for long-term educational success. 

These results highlight how improving adolescent mental health and educational outcomes go hand in hand. When mental health challenges are addressed, students are better equipped to stay in school, perform well, and build brighter futures. 

Why Adolescent Mental Health and Education Must Be Prioritized

Untreated depression often creates a cycle: poor mental health leads to missed classes and declining performance, which in turn worsens mental health. By integrating mental health support into education systems, we can break this cycle and create environments where students thrive academically and emotionally. 

This International Day of Education, let’s commit to supporting adolescent mental health and education. Together, we can break barriers, create opportunities, and ensure every child has the chance to succeed in school and life.