Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review
Abstract Background The mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people (i.e. foster care, kinship care, residential care) is poorer than non-care-experienced populations. The Care-experienced cHildren and young people’s Interventions to improve Mental health and wEll-being...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Systematic Reviews |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02260-y |
| _version_ | 1827910902645522432 |
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| author | Rhiannon Evans Sarah MacDonald Rob Trubey Jane Noyes Michael Robling Simone Willis Maria Boffey Charlotte Wooders Soo Vinnicombe G. J. Melendez-Torres |
| author_facet | Rhiannon Evans Sarah MacDonald Rob Trubey Jane Noyes Michael Robling Simone Willis Maria Boffey Charlotte Wooders Soo Vinnicombe G. J. Melendez-Torres |
| author_sort | Rhiannon Evans |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people (i.e. foster care, kinship care, residential care) is poorer than non-care-experienced populations. The Care-experienced cHildren and young people’s Interventions to improve Mental health and wEll-being outcomes Systematic review (CHIMES) aimed to synthesise the international evidence base for interventions targeting subjective wellbeing, mental health and suicide amongst care-experienced young people aged ≤ 25 years. Methods For the first phase of the review, we constructed an evidence map identifying key clusters and gaps in interventions and evaluations. Studies were identified through 16 electronic databases and 22 health and social care websites, in addition to expert recommendations, citation tracking and screening of relevant systematic reviews. We charted interventions and evaluations with a summary narrative, tables and infographics. Results In total, 64 interventions with 124 associated study reports were eligible. The majority of study reports were from the USA (n = 77). Interventions primarily targeted children and young people’s skills and competencies (n = 9 interventions), the parental functioning and practices of carers (n = 26), or a combination of the two (n = 15). While theoretically under-specified, interventions were largely informed by theories of Attachment, Positive Youth Development, and Social Learning Theory. Current evaluations prioritised outcomes (n = 86) and processes (n = 50), with a paucity of study reports including theoretical descriptions (n = 24) or economic evaluations (n = 1). Interventions most frequently targeted outcomes related to mental, behavioural or neurodevelopmental disorders, notably total social, emotional and behavioural problems (n = 48 interventions) and externalising problem behaviours (n = 26). There were a limited number of interventions targeting subjective wellbeing or suicide-related outcomes. Conclusions Future intervention development might focus on structural-level intervention theories and components, and target outcomes related to subjective wellbeing and suicide. In accordance with current methodological guidance for intervention development and evaluation, research needs to integrate theoretical, outcome, process and economic evaluation in order to strengthen the evidence base. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42020177478. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:57:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1016594306ec45d0975341c6dcb4ed2e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2046-4053 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:57:02Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Systematic Reviews |
| spelling | doaj.art-1016594306ec45d0975341c6dcb4ed2e2023-07-02T11:09:06ZengBMCSystematic Reviews2046-40532023-07-0112113310.1186/s13643-023-02260-yInterventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic reviewRhiannon Evans0Sarah MacDonald1Rob Trubey2Jane Noyes3Michael Robling4Simone Willis5Maria Boffey6Charlotte Wooders7Soo Vinnicombe8G. J. Melendez-Torres9DECIPHer, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, SPARKDECIPHer, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, SPARKCentre for Trials Research, Cardiff UniversitySchool of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor UniversityCentre for Trials Research, Cardiff UniversitySpecialist Unit for Review Evidence, Cardiff UniversityDECIPHer, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, SPARKThe Fostering Network in WalesSchool of Medical and Health Sciences, Bangor UniversityPeninsula Technology Assessment Group (PenTAG), University of ExeterAbstract Background The mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people (i.e. foster care, kinship care, residential care) is poorer than non-care-experienced populations. The Care-experienced cHildren and young people’s Interventions to improve Mental health and wEll-being outcomes Systematic review (CHIMES) aimed to synthesise the international evidence base for interventions targeting subjective wellbeing, mental health and suicide amongst care-experienced young people aged ≤ 25 years. Methods For the first phase of the review, we constructed an evidence map identifying key clusters and gaps in interventions and evaluations. Studies were identified through 16 electronic databases and 22 health and social care websites, in addition to expert recommendations, citation tracking and screening of relevant systematic reviews. We charted interventions and evaluations with a summary narrative, tables and infographics. Results In total, 64 interventions with 124 associated study reports were eligible. The majority of study reports were from the USA (n = 77). Interventions primarily targeted children and young people’s skills and competencies (n = 9 interventions), the parental functioning and practices of carers (n = 26), or a combination of the two (n = 15). While theoretically under-specified, interventions were largely informed by theories of Attachment, Positive Youth Development, and Social Learning Theory. Current evaluations prioritised outcomes (n = 86) and processes (n = 50), with a paucity of study reports including theoretical descriptions (n = 24) or economic evaluations (n = 1). Interventions most frequently targeted outcomes related to mental, behavioural or neurodevelopmental disorders, notably total social, emotional and behavioural problems (n = 48 interventions) and externalising problem behaviours (n = 26). There were a limited number of interventions targeting subjective wellbeing or suicide-related outcomes. Conclusions Future intervention development might focus on structural-level intervention theories and components, and target outcomes related to subjective wellbeing and suicide. In accordance with current methodological guidance for intervention development and evaluation, research needs to integrate theoretical, outcome, process and economic evaluation in order to strengthen the evidence base. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42020177478.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02260-ySystematic reviewScoping reviewMental healthWellbeingFoster careResidential care |
| spellingShingle | Rhiannon Evans Sarah MacDonald Rob Trubey Jane Noyes Michael Robling Simone Willis Maria Boffey Charlotte Wooders Soo Vinnicombe G. J. Melendez-Torres Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review Systematic Reviews Systematic review Scoping review Mental health Wellbeing Foster care Residential care |
| title | Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review |
| title_full | Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review |
| title_fullStr | Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review |
| title_short | Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review |
| title_sort | interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care experienced children and young people in higher income countries evidence map and systematic review |
| topic | Systematic review Scoping review Mental health Wellbeing Foster care Residential care |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02260-y |
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