Parent-focused interventions delivered in the inpatient child and adolescent psychiatry setting: A scoping review

Psychiatric hospitalization of a child or adolescent is a highly stressful time for parents, who play a central role in their child's mental illness and recovery. Little is known of evidence-based interventions to support parents during their child's admission. This scoping review aims to examine the evidence for existing parent-focused interventions in the acute inpatient child and adolescent psychiatry setting. A literature search was conducted across six databases. Three authors were involved in screening and data extraction procedures. Results were categorized by (1) intervention format, (2) intervention content and treatment targets, (3) feasibility outcomes, and (4) parent outcomes. Nine studies encompassing 9 interventions were included in the final review. Interventions included parent groups (n = 3), 1:1 peer support (n = 2), individualized family-based assessments and interventions (n = 2), an adolescent milieu curriculum (n = 1), and a website intervention (n = 1). Outcomes were heterogeneous which limited comparison between interventions. All interventions were well-received by parents. We conclude that results of this review do not support any one intervention, though all led to parent satisfaction. Some feasibility challenges were encountered, which should be considered in future implementation. More rigorous studies are needed to provide stronger evidence for any one type of parent-focused intervention in the acute inpatient child and adolescent setting.