Table 1.

Identification of search terms using PICO framework

PICO component	Keywords	MeSH term and synonyms
Population	Young people Sub-Saharan Africa	MeSH: adolescent Synonyms: Adolescent* OR Teenager* OR Teen* OR youth* OR young person OR young people OR youngster* OR young adult* OR student* OR high school OR college OR secondary school MeSH: Africa South of the Sahara Synonyms: Sub-Saharan Africa OR SSA OR West* Africa OR East* Africa OR South* Africa OR Central Africa OR ( +)
Intervention	Psychosocial Intervention	MeSH: psychotherapy Synonyms: psychosocial OR psychological OR psychoeducation OR behavioural therapy OR cognitive behavioural therapy OR CBT OR Interpersonal Psychotherapy OR IPT OR problem-solving therapy OR counselling OR narrative therapy Synonyms: Treatment OR Therapy OR Trial OR Project OR Program*
Outcome	Depression	MeSH: depression; depressive disorder Synonyms: depression or depressive disorder* or dysthymia or depressive symptom

( +) – List of all Sub-Saharan African countries with “OR” between them