How primary schools shape children's mental health in Mwanza, Tanzania
School Environment as a Social Driver of Youth Mental Health Trajectories in Mwanza, Tanzania
This project will look at how different parts of primary school life relate to the mental health of children in Mwanza, Tanzania.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11136410 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a parent's point of view, the team will create tools that fit the local Tanzanian context to measure what school is like for children. They will follow groups of primary school students over time, collecting information from children, teachers, and school settings to see which school factors link to better or worse mental health. The researchers will combine surveys, observations, and school-level measures to map mental health trajectories and find practical, changeable school conditions. The goal is to use what they learn to design simple, scalable ways schools can support children's emotional wellbeing in low-resource settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are primary school students (for example around 5th grade) enrolled in schools in Mwanza, Tanzania, along with their teachers and school communities.
Not a fit: People who are not enrolled in Mwanza primary schools—such as adults, children in other regions, or those with severe, acute psychiatric conditions needing clinical care—are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify practical school-based changes that reduce anxiety and depression and promote wellbeing for children in Tanzania and similar settings.
How similar studies have performed: Some school-based mental health programs in other countries have shown benefit, but rigorous longitudinal research and locally tailored measurement in Tanzania remain limited, making this work relatively novel for that setting.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reyes, H. Luz Mcnaughton — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Reyes, H. Luz Mcnaughton
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.