Institutional dependability and adolescent mental health in South African schools after COVID-19

Although international studies have documented heightened adolescent distress following COVID-19, South African evidence remains limited, particularly research that explains how institutional reliability shapes adolescent mental health, trust, and school engagement. Few studies triangulate the perspectives of adolescents, caregivers, and educators across different school types in Gauteng. This study addresses this gap by exploring how post-pandemic school experiences intersect with adolescent mental health using Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-ecological Systems Theory and principles of Trauma-Informed Care. An interpretivist, qualitative design was adopted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and brief questionnaires with 11 adolescents, 6 caregivers, and 7 educators from public and private schools. Thematic analysis revealed significant mental health–related challenges, including strained learner–teacher relationships, weak school–home communication, limited access to psychosocial services and the absence of school-based psychologists, as well as persistent inequalities between school contexts. Disengagement extended beyond the lockdown period, accompanied by declining trust in schools and related support services. Findings show that where institutions were consistent and dependable, adolescents demonstrated stronger coping and improved mental health outcomes. This study contributes to South African evidence on how institutional reliability supports adolescent mental health recovery within under-resourced and unequal education systems. Practical implications include the need for classroom-level trauma-informed practices, sustained professional development for educators, enhanced psychological support structures, strengthened school–home collaboration, and better policy alignment with monitoring to ensure long-term implementation.