# Understanding Family Functioning as a Protective Factor for Adolescents’ Mental Health from the Parental Perspective: Photovoice in Rural Communities of Ecuador

## TL;DR

This study explores how family support protects adolescents' mental health in rural Ecuador using a participatory photography method from parents' perspectives.

## Contribution

The study introduces Photovoice as a participatory tool to understand family functioning from parents' perspectives in rural Ecuador.

## Key findings

- Parents identified communication, cohesion, supervision, and care as key family aspects for adolescent mental health.
- Photovoice enabled parents to become collaborators in co-creating strategies for family support.
- The method fostered critical reflection on family behaviors among participants.

## Abstract

Families in rural communities face a constellation of challenges that significantly hinder their ability to support adolescents. Our study aimed to explore family functioning as a protective factor for adolescent mental health from the perspective of parents in rural communities of southern Ecuador, using Photovoice as a participatory research tool. The research design corresponds to Participatory Action Research. Five Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted. A total of 29 parents of adolescents participated in the study. The research team employed qualitative content analysis for the interpretation phase. Through photographs and focus groups, parents commented on aspects of family life that they perceived as necessary for supporting adolescents, such as effective communication, cohesion, supervision, and expressions of care. The main conclusion indicated that the implementation of Photovoice converted participants from subjects to collaborators, allowing them to critically reflect on their behaviors while aiding or reinforcing in the co-creation of strategies.