Lived experiences of mental health stigma and help-seeking among young Barbadians living with mental health conditions: A qualitative study.

This study sheds light on the emotional and relational challenges faced by married adolescent women and demonstrates how a structured psychosocial support can strengthen communication, empathy and emotional resilience. The findings show that life skills interventions can play a critical role in improving adolescent mental health and wellbeing, particularly in settings with limited access to mental health services. By engaging husbands and other key family members, the intervention promoted stronger relationships and a greater understanding of emotional needs, extending benefits beyond individual participants. This research supports the integration of life skills and mental health components into adolescent and maternal health services in low-resource settings. It offers insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking culturally appropriate and scalable approaches to psychosocial support. Beyond the local context, the study contributes to global evidence by demonstrating how community-based, culturally grounded interventions can effectively address adolescent mental health needs in low- and middle-income countries. Young people aged 15–24 make up 27% of the global population, yet their socioemotional well-being remains critically neglected, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Gore et al., ). In Pakistan, this gap is stark: 30% of the population (65.4 million) is aged 10–24, and nearly half (32.4 million) are not in education, employment, or training (UNICEF Pakistan, ). These challenges are compounded by the widespread practice of early marriage and childbearing. The median age at first marriage is 20.4 years for women and 25.9 years for men, with 30% of women married before 18 (NIPS, ). Contraceptive use is low – only 34% of married women aged 15–49 use modern methods, with access concentrated among the educated, urban and economically advantaged. Early marriage and limited contraception use lead to early childbearing: the median age at first birth is 22.8 years, and 13% of women give birth before the age of 18 (NIPS, ). These patterns are embedded within broader structural inequalities. Early marriage is not only a consequence of poverty, limited educational opportunities and youth unemployment, but also reinforces these conditions by curtailing girls’ education, restricting labour force participation and perpetuating intergenerational disadvantage. This bidirectional relationship has been documented across diverse global settings (Wahhaj, ). Key life transitions, such as marriage, parenthood and financial responsibility, frequently occur with minimal preparation, increasing vulnerability to psychosocial distress and maladaptive parenting practices. Adolescent marriage, in particular, is significantly associated with controlling behaviour and intimate partner violence in Pakistan (Nasrullah et al., ). The UNICEF (), report highlights maternal conditions as leading contributors to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and mortality among adolescent girls. In a study conducted in rural Pakistan, young married women aged ≤20 are five times more likely to experience depression relative to their unmarried peers, attributed to abrupt role transitions, restricted autonomy and limited access to sexual and reproductive health services (Rahman et al., ).