New peer-led program aims to lift fathers out of depression in kenya

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Male between the ages of 18-65; 2. Live with and be responsible for at least one child between the ages of 8 and 17 years of age; 3. Screen positive for depression symptoms, operationalized as a score 5 or above on the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9); 4. Any reported alcohol use in the past 45 days measures with the AUDIT (score 1 or above); 5. Child at risk of mental health issues as indicated by a score above 13 on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) reported on by any caregiver; 6. Willingness for co-caregiver and target child to participate in assessments (previously piloted strategy). Exclusion Criteria: 1. Severe depression symptoms indicated a score above 19 on the PHQ-9; 2. Severe risk/likely alcohol dependence that warrants medical management indicated as a score 20 or above on the alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT); 3. Violent legal offenses (one question); 4. Indicators of severe violence at home assessed with key items from the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS), following previously used criteria. If any couple member answers yes (related to the father) to either of the following items: "punched or hit my partner with something that could hurt" and "kicked my partner," couples will be excluded. Couple members who answer yes to any of the following items: "I/he used a knife or gun on my partner/me," "I/he choked my partner/me," "I/he slammed my partner/me against a wall," "I/he beat up my partner/me," "I/he burned or scalded my partner/me on purpose," will be excluded. 5. Inability to provide informed consent of complete procedures in Swahili or English; 6. serious mental illness (current or history). 7. Youth in age range not at risk for MH problems: No Score \<13 to 40 on the SDQ as reported by both caregivers