From Vulnerability to Resilience: Community-Based Insights on Adolescent and Youth Depression in Underserved Communities in Mexico

Abstract

Background: Adolescents and youth from socially and culturally underserved communities face a disproportionate burden of depression, exacerbated by systemic barriers to accessing timely and culturally appropriate mental health care. In contexts where health systems are under-resourced, community-based initiatives may offer promising strategies for promoting youth mental well-being.Objective: This study explores how adolescents and youth from underserved communities in Mexico perceive and cope with depressive symptoms, with the aim of identifying community-informed strategies that can inform culturally relevant mental health promotion and prevention initiatives.Methods: Using an exploratory qualitative design, the study combined participant observation with focus group discussions involving people aged 15 to 25. A thematic analysis guided by resilience and participatory frameworks was conducted to examine youths' emotional experiences, stressors, and coping mechanisms within their family, school, and social environments.Results: Participants reported depressive symptoms such as sadness, social withdrawal, fatigue, and hopelessness. Key stressors included family conflict, exposure to violence, and school-based pressures like bullying and academic demands. Although many youth used positive coping strategies-such as seeking social support and participating in recreational activities-some also exhibited maladaptive responses, including avoidance and silence. Focus groups emerged as empowering spaces for youth to articulate emotions and co-develop potential solutions.Conclusions: Findings highlight the urgent need for holistic interventions that integrate family and school-based programs with youth-centered, community-led mental health initiatives. Participatory methods are proposed as culturally sensitive, scalable approaches to address service gaps in under-resourced settings. These community-driven responses not only support individual coping but also contribute to the resilience of local health systems by aligning services with the lived realities of underserved populations.