Interventions for children who have experienced physical abuse: A systematic review narrative synthesis

Abstract

AimPhysical abuse has been linked to poor mental and physical health in adulthood, more recently findings have suggested that these effects can be present in children as young as three. Though these effects are known, research exploring interventions specifically for children who have experienced physical abuse is scarce. The current systematic review uses a narrative synthesis approach to examine studies which reported on interventions for children who have experienced physical abuse. MethodA number of databases were searched, and studies were selected based on hierarchical criteria. This systematic review used a narrative synthesis approach to evaluate the interventions involved in the studies selected. Results: There were 17 studies included in this review, each of the studies reported improvements in at least one of the necessary outcome areas evaluated which included: behavioural, cognitive, and socio-emotional outcomes. ConclusionOverall efficacy of interventions was not able to be determined due to the heterogeneity of the studies, however theoretical underpinnings and successful components of interventions are discussed in this review. Limitations and recommendations for the future are also addressed.