A Scoping Review of Parenting Interventions with a Dual Focus on Improving Child Emotional and Physical Health

Children's emotional and physical health are inextricably linked, as evidenced by the numerous shared health determinants known to impact each of these domains (e.g., adverse childhood experiences, supportive family relationships) as well as the bidirectional influence between them. As such, efforts have been made to intervene on these health determinants to jointly impact child emotional and physical health. However, this remains a nascent area of research, and little is known about the nature and impact of these interventions.

The present study aimed to identify what parenting interventions were available with a dual focus on improving child emotional and physical health. We examined the content of these interventions, how components were integrated, the findings for each health domain, and the extent to which health equity was considered.

This scoping review was preregistered in PROSPERO (CRD42023369266) and followed PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines for scoping reviews. We searched five online databases for articles published between 2012-2022 that (a) focused on children ages 2-12, (b) involved evaluating the effects of a parenting intervention, and (c) had a dual focus on promoting child emotional and physical health.

Out of the 2,065 records screened, thirty-one studies met inclusion criteria. Most interventions were intensive, delivered to parents only, and targeted high-risk families. While 59% demonstrated beneficial effects in both child health domains, findings were more consistent for emotional outcomes. Attention to health equity was limited, with few studies strategically recruiting minoritized populations, testing for subgroup differences in intervention effects, or applying culturally informed adaptations.

This review highlights a growing body of dual-focused parenting interventions with the potential to improve child health outcomes. However, gaps remain in terms of reach, scalability, integration of content, and equity. These findings can guide the development of holistic, accessible, and equity-focused interventions aimed at improving the health and well-being of children.