Resilience to depression among emerging adults in South Africa : insights from digital diaries

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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

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.