This mixed-methods study is part of a project funded by Fondation Botnar to address the mental health needs and psychosocial well-being of adolescents in two very different country contexts, Viet Nam and Tanzania.1 The summary below outlines the content of the Viet Nam report, core findings and recommendations.

Study aims This ODI Report is focused on identifying the key drivers of mental ill-health and psychosocial wellbeing among two subgroups of adolescents (those aged 11–15 years and those aged 16–19 years) in two cities (Vin City and Nha Trang) in Viet Nam.

A 2014 survey in Viet Nam found that approximately 3 million children (aged 12 or above) were in need of mental health services, with needs varying significantly across the 10 provinces surveyed. Viet Nam’s mental health system is heavily focused on treating severe mental disorders (especially epilepsy and schizophrenia) in hospitals in urban areas, with few resources dedicated to more common mental health problems in any setting. Where mental health services do exist, uptake is low (especially among adolescents and children), partly due to lack of knowledge about those services, stigma surrounding mental ill-health, and lack of age- and gender-appropriate services.

Subsequent aims of the project are: • To co-create (with adolescents, teachers and local authorities) and test a range of approaches (digital and non-digital) to support adolescents’ mental health and well-being.

• To review and adapt potential approaches based on the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) system, the baseline and endline studies, and ongoing feedback loops.

• To document the effectiveness of both digital and non-digital solutions in addressing adolescents’ mental health problems.