Resilience to depression among emerging adults in South Africa : insights from digital diaries
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Date
Authors
Levine, Diane T.
Theron, Linda C.
Haffejee, Sadiyya
Ungar, Michael
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sage
Abstract
Emerging adults facing chronic socioeconomic stress, especially depression, lack comprehensive research on resilience factors.
This study analyzed digital diary entries (n = 338) from 57 individuals aged 18–24 in a South African township from July 2021 to
April 2022. Participants highlighted relational, community, and cultural supports regardless of risk levels. Both high and low-risk
groups faced challenges like financial instability, limited education, health threats, and lawlessness. However, institutional
resource scarcity disproportionately affected higher-risk individuals, worsening issues like infrastructure deficits and violence
exposure. Family and peer support emerged as crucial, especially for higher-risk participants. Individuals living in higher risk
emphasized collective action and stranger support during infrastructure failures. These findings suggest that greater risk
exposure may reinforce reliance on traditional, community-focused coping mechanisms, indicating the importance of studying
differential resilience factors among young adults.
Description
Keywords
Digital, Depression, Emerging adult, Protective, Resilience, Stressor, SDG-03: Good health and well-being, SDG-10: Reduced inequalities
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG-03:Good heatlh and well-being
SDG-10:Reduces inequalities
SDG-10:Reduces inequalities
Citation
Levine, D.T., Theron, L.C., Haffejee, S. et al. 2024, 'Resilience to depression among emerging adults in South Africa : insights from digital diaries', Emerging Adulthood, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 663-945, doi : 10.1177/21676968241273319.