Parent Interventions Improve Behavior After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Abstract

To examine child behavior change scores from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of parent interventions for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were searched to identify studies that examined parent interventions for pediatric TBI. Inclusion criteria included (i) a parent intervention for children with TBI; (ii) an RCT study design; (iii) statistical data for child behavior outcome(s); and (iv) studies that were published in English. Seven studies met inclusion criteria. All interventions reported improved child behavior after pediatric TBI; however, child and parent factors contributed to behavior change scores in some interventions. Factors found to contribute to the level of benefit included age of child, baseline behavior levels, sociodemographics (eg, parent income, parent education), and parent mental health. Improved child behavior outcomes resulting from parent interventions for pediatric TBI are well supported by the evidence in the peer-reviewed literature. Clinicians are encouraged to consider child and parent factors as they relate to child behavior outcomes.