Description: The data set consists of 32 transcripts of interviews with parents or guardians and 4 transcriptions of focus group discussions with the adolescents receiving mental health care. Abstract: Children and adolescents receiving mental health care are a group of at-risk individuals that are often neglected in health promotion and disease prevention programmes.The objective of the research was to investigate current health behaviours and health environments among a sample of adolescents receiving mental health care in the Western Cape Province public hospital and their parents/guardians. We used in-depth interviews for parents/guardians of the adolescents and focus group discussion guide for adolescents. Socio-demographic profile of the participants: age; gender; race; grade; number and gender of siblings; parent’s type of work; adolescent medical condition; and types of hobbies and time spent were also asked. The types of questions asked in the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions included:

What does the word health mean to you?

What does it mean to be healthy?

What are the things you do that help you remain in good health?

What are the things you do that stand in the way of your having good health?

What aspects of your environment help you remain in good health?

What aspects of your environment stand in the way of your having good health?

What aspects of your life can you change and what can you not change in order to remain healthy?

What is your home environment like?

Do you have the ability to influence decisions that are made concerning living a healthy lifestyle?

Do you know anyone in your family who has had any diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, mental health problems or anything else?

The research gave rise to electronic folders for 32 individual interviews and 4 focus group discussions with approximately 8 adolescents. Each folder contains the transcription of the either an interview or focus group discussion of the participant.

Digital audio recording

Face-to-face interview

Focus group

A list of adolescents receiving mental health care was provided to the research team by Tygerberg Hospital Department of Psychiatry Adolescent Clinic. The sample for the research was 30 adolescents and their parents/guardians.

A list of adolescents receiving mental health care was provided to the research team by Tygerberg Hospital Department of Psychiatry Adolescent Clinic. The sample for the research was 30 adolescents and their parents/guardians. The exclusion criteria would be if adolescents are retarded and show psychotic spectrum disorders