Psychosocial Interventions for Older Adults With Severe Mental Illness: A Systematic Scoping Review and Meta-analysis

Older adults with severe mental illness (SMI) experience complex rehabilitative needs that are often neglected in clinical and research settings. Psychosocial interventions are key to supporting recovery; however, evidence specific to this population remains fragmented. This scoping review and meta-analysis aims to synthesize available research on psychosocial interventions designed for older adults with SMI and evaluate their effectiveness.

Following the Arksey and O'Malley framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus for studies published between 2000 and 2023. Eligibility was based on the PICO framework, focusing on adults aged ≥ 50 with SMI. Data were extracted and analyzed using descriptive synthesis and meta-analytic techniques.

Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 884 participants. Interventions primarily targeted clinical recovery, with limited focus on aspects of personal recovery. Meta-analysis indicated a moderate overall effect size (ES = 0.366, P < .0001) with low heterogeneity (I2 = 18.81%). Quality assessment revealed that 62.5% of studies had medium to high risk of bias.

While psychosocial interventions show promise in improving clinical outcomes for older adults with SMI, there is a significant gap in addressing personal recovery dimensions. Future research should emphasize holistic, long-term interventions to enhance both clinical and personal recoveries.