INTRODUCTION
Adolescence which corresponds to the period between the ages of 10 and 19 years is often a critical phase in the life cycle of each person because it marks a period of biological, social and psychological transition between childhood and adulthood (WHO, 2013). The period is a time of strain and stress fraught with many problems, and thus, characterised by instability and susceptibility to the development of psychological distress (Garaigordobil, 2006). Psychological distress refers to a vulnerable emotional state or mood, characterized by feelings of sadness, tension, anxiety, irritability, and self-consciousness (Lahey, 2009