Family-Centered Psychosocial Interventions for Disaster-Affected Children Across Developmental Stages: A Scoping...

Children are highly vulnerable in disaster settings due to developmental, physiological, and psychosocial limitations, increasing their risk of long-term mental health and psychosocial problems. Although disasters cause both physical and psychological consequences, psychosocial difficulties often persist longer and may hinder children's developmental recovery. Therefore, family-centered psychosocial interventions are essential for post-disaster recovery. However, the integration of Family-Centered Care (FCC) principles into disaster mental health and psychosocial support systems remains fragmented and insufficiently tailored to children's developmental stages. This scoping review mapped and synthesized evidence on family-centered psychosocial interventions for disaster-affected children across developmental stages. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, articles published between 2016 and 2026 were searched in PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SAGE. Studies were selected using PCC criteria (Population: children aged 0-18 years; Concept: family-centered psychosocial interventions, including caregiver-mediated, play-based, cognitive-behavioral, resilience-building, and family support approaches; Context: disaster settings). Eleven studies (randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, and mixed-methods) from multiple countries were included. Findings indicate that interventions are developmentally differentiated and predominantly family-based; however, evidence remains limited for preschool children, adolescents, and long-term psychosocial outcomes. Play-based and dyadic caregiver child interventions were primarily used for younger children, while cognitive behavioral and resilience-focused approaches were more common among school-aged children and adolescents. Across studies, improvements in caregiver wellbeing and family functioning were consistently associated with better child emotional and behavioral outcomes, highlighting an interconnected recovery pathway across developmental stages. Family-centered psychosocial interventions should be tailored to developmental needs and strengthen caregiver wellbeing and family functioning. The findings support integrating family-centered approaches into disaster mental health systems to strengthen resilience and long-term recovery, particularly in disaster-prone and resource-limited settings.