Abstract
ObjectivesTo review empirical evaluations of individual-level interventions intended to improve mental health or well-being for vulnerable adolescents.Study designThis is a systematic mapping review.MethodsThirteen databases covering academic and gray literature were searched for published reviews and randomised controlled trials, and gray literature (2005–2016) and the results quality-assessed to prioritise best available evidence. We aimed to identify well-conducted systematic reviews and trials that evaluated individual-level interventions, for mental health/well-being outcomes, where the population was adolescents aged 10–24 years in any of 12 vulnerable groups at high risk of poor health outcomes (e.g. homeless, offenders, ‘looked after’, carers).ResultsThirty systematic reviews and 16 additional trials were identified. There was insufficient evidence to identify promising individual-level interventions that improve the mental health/well-being of any of the vulnerable groups.ConclusionsDespite Western policy to promote health and well-being among vulnerable young people, the dearth of evidence suggests a lack of interest in evaluating interventions targeting these groups in respect of their mental health/well-being outcomes.
Highlights
We systematically reviewed English language studies and reviews conducted in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, and published since 2005, to identify evidence in three different publication categories: reviews published in journals, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in journals and evaluations including a comparison group in the gray literature
Total a Some systematic reviews failed to identify any studies with outcomes pertaining to mental health/well-being
We focused on reviews and RCTs rather than broader sources of research evidence including non-randomised and/or qualitative studies
Summary
Lack of evidence on mental health and well-being impacts of individual-level interventions for vulnerable adolescents: systematic mapping review.
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