The association between institutional social support and common mental disorders among sheltered adolescents in Maputo, Mozambique: An exploratory study

Background Common Mental Disorders (CMDs), characterized by symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, are a leading global public health problem with high prevalence among adolescents, particularly in contexts of social vulnerability. This study aimed to analyze the influence of institutionally provided social support on the occurrence of CMDs among adolescents sheltered at the Children Center-Iris Global in Zimpeto, Maputo. Methods An exploratory, cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted between June and July 2025 with a census-based sample of 45 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years old. Data were collected using the Social Support Satisfaction Scale (ESSS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10). Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22, employing descriptive statistics, association tests (Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test), Pearson’s correlation, and relative risk estimates. Results More than half of the adolescents (53.3%) reported moderate social support satisfaction, and 46.7% reported high satisfaction. Regarding CMDs, minimal depressive symptoms (73.3%), mild anxiety (71.1%), and low perceived stress (75.6%) were predominant. Inferential analyses at a 95% confidence interval revealed significant negative associations between higher levels of social support satisfaction and lower levels of depression (χ²=14.318; p < 0.001), anxiety (χ²=15.996; p < 0.001), and stress (χ²=8.259; p = 0.004). Adolescents with high social satisfaction had a significantly lower relative risk of presenting moderate symptoms. Conclusion Institutional social support exerts a substantial protective effect on the mental health of sheltered adolescents, being strongly associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. These results underscore the critical importance of investing in the quality of social support within child protection institutions.