Poverty is a state of mind: attitudes to poverty and mental health among youth receiving cash transfers in Brazil, Colombia and South Africa

Evidence suggests the relationship between poverty and poor mental health may be causal in both directions, with poverty causing mental health problems and mental health problems contributing to the difficulty of escaping poverty. Stigma against people in poverty and those with poor mental health is implicated in mechanisms which contribute to cycles of disadvantage. Here we explore attitudes to poverty among young people from low-income families receiving cash transfers, in South Africa, Colombia and Brazil. We consider whether attitudes to poverty exhibit signs of stigma towards others or towards oneself, whether these appear to impact on behaviours and aspirations, and the role of mental health in these relationships. We conducted qualitative analysis of 48 interview transcripts from the CHANCES-6 project which explored the mental health impacts of cash transfers on youth. The analysis comprised a cross-context thematic synthesis emphasising common patterns. We found that young people mainly did not identify themselves as poor. Participants frequently expressed potentially stigmatising attitudes towards those perceived as not making sufficient efforts to escape poverty, presenting strongly held beliefs about the role of the individual in taking personal responsibility for their own success. Nevertheless, there was acknowledgement of the importance of informal support and support for financial assistance for pursuing educational and employment opportunities. We discuss findings in relation to broader societal beliefs about meritocracy and social solidarity.