One in five Kenyan adolescents has experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), placing them at high risk for mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and bullying.
This is according to new findings from the study “Understanding the Lasting Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on the Mental Health of Kenyan Youth,” shared during the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): From Research to Policy Action webinar, hosted by the Brain and Mind Institute at Aga Khan University in collaboration with the Shamiri Institute.
Adverse Childhood Experiences include experiences such as neglect, abuse, poverty and violence and can have a lasting impact on how a person behaves, what they think, and how they feel.
Speaking at the webinar, Prof. Zul Merali, Founding Director of the Brain and Mind Institute, highlighted the urgent need for cross-sectoral interventions to address the root causes of mental distress.
“Childhood adversity is a public health crisis that threatens the well-being and potential of our entire generation. Through this webinar, we aim to elevate research-informed solutions that can help Kenyan children not only survive adversity but thrive despite it. Our collective future depends on it.”
The findings revealed that adolescents who reported more adversities were significantly more likely to experience mental health symptoms. The data showed that 24% had moderate to severe symptoms of depression, while 21.4% had moderate to severe anxiety. Bullying was also strongly associated with high adversity scores, with boys appearing particularly vulnerable. Tom Osborn, Founder and CEO of the Shamiri Institute, emphasised the need for urgent action:
“Young people in Kenya are navigating enormous emotional burdens. As a society, we can’t afford to look away. This webinar is about building bridges between research, policy, and practice so that our schools become places of healing, not harm.”
The findings also pointed to socioeconomic and family-related vulnerabilities: adolescents with only one surviving parent had 18% higher adversity scores, and those performing poorly in school were 15% more likely to have faced adversity.
Growing up I experienced ACE in the form of physical abuse, gender based environment, financial abuse, parental alienation, manipulation from one parent, so the discussions here today are very important because research drives policy making. It is important to not make policies in isolation because they are supposed to complement existing policies and laws without understanding whether existing framework actually work for the affected persons and that they just not good on paper – Wangui Wanjuki, Youth advocate
The integration of screening tools like the ACE-10 into school health programs, alongside expanded school-based mental health support, signals growing momentum in Kenya to address childhood adversity as both a mental health and education issue.
As the data paints a sobering picture of Kenya’s youth burdened by invisible wounds, this webinar took centre stage in confronting childhood adversity head-on, affirming a shared commitment to ensure that every Kenyan child not only has the right to survive but the opportunity to thrive.
The hybrid event brought together policymakers, researchers, mental health professionals, and educators to discuss how childhood adversity affects young people in Kenya and to explore practical, evidence-based strategies to build resilience in schools and communities.
Contact Information:
For further information, please contact:
Mary Ng’ang’a
Communications Associate, Aga Khan University Brain & Mind Institute
Email: mary.[email protected], Tel: +254 717 439 731
About the Brain and Mind Institute
The Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) at the Aga Khan University, operates in East Africa and Central/South Asia. BMI’s ethos is to span from neuron to the neighbourhood and across multi-country campuses. The operational model is to empower and strengthen neuroscience and mental health research and interventions through capacity building and partnerships, connecting the rich tapestry of academics, research entities,
stakeholders, and communities of lived experience. BMI facilitates interdisciplinary research, education and innovation in mental health and neurosciences. Through transdisciplinary research approaches, BMI aims to impact the lives of people who are affected by debilitating neurological and mental health problems. Whether it is uncovering the causes of illness or advancing breakthrough research into treatments or interventions, BMI’s approach is always mindful of the local needs of the people and communities at risk.
