Breaking Barriers: The Impact of Peer Support on Mental Health among South Asian Youth

Numerous studies have reported a steady rise in mental health concerns within South Asian Canadians that are often left untreated and unmet. South Asian Canadian youth (15+ years old) in particular have been reported as one of the least likely groups to access mental health supports that are readily available to them. This qualitative study sought to investigate the service access barriers experienced by South Asian youth populations in Canada and explore the potential peer support interventions may have on mitigating the barriers to mental health access. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with South Asian youth (16-25 years old) living in Peel Region (Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon), that is home to a significant proportion of Ontario’s South Asian population. Participants (n=19) shared their personal experience regarding accessing mental health support and peer support. The data was analyzed utilizing a thematic analysis approach. The study revealed how, despite obvious limitations such as adequate training, turning to peer support and mental health supports offered in school settings helped the youth to navigate their issues. They offered recommendations for how peer support programs could be structured and explained to South Asian communities in order to improve youth mental health. These findings suggest a potential role peer support interventions may provide through alignment with South Asian youth’s cultural identity to address the barriers that have arisen in mental health access.