As part of the MentBox project, a study was launched in March to identify mental health barriers and needs among the Roma population living in Polígono Sur, Seville.

*From left to right: Carmen Silva de los Reyes, (Director of FAKALI), José Manuel Barroso, (Researcher from WP3 on the MENTBOX project) Patricia Peña Martínez and Aitana de los Reyes Gómez (psychologists specialising in health intervention and the Roma population).

This work represents a crucial first step toward the future adaptation and validation of interventions designed to address emotional distress, depressive symptoms and stress. The primary objective is to ensure that these interventions are culturally appropriate, relevant, and sustainable.

The research seeks to identify the mental health priorities of the local population and understand how people experience and respond to emotional challenges in their daily lives. This community-centred approach will help ensure that future interventions reflect the realities, values, and perspectives of the people they are designed to support.

“Our goal is to listen to the community and work alongside them to develop solutions that make sense in their context. This way, we can design interventions that truly respond to their needs,” explains José Manuel Barroso, psychologist and researcher at Hospital Virgen del Rocío. “We want to understand not only what the needs are, but how best to address them.”

In the first phase, researchers conducted exploratory interviews with local residents, which led to a list of key issues affecting their well-being. Building on those findings, a second phase of interviews is now underway, focusing in more depth on the most frequently mentioned mental health concerns.

By grounding this process in local realities, MentBox aims to ensure that the tools included in the future Modular Mental Health Toolbox (MH-Toolbox) are effective, acceptable, and ready for real-world use.