Digital Psychoeducational Programs for Children and Families Living with Parental Mental Illness: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The present scoping review aims to map digital psychoeducational programs for children and families with parental mental illness to identify significant gaps in the existing literature and inform future programs. We systematically searched studies including digital psychoeducational programs/interventions targeting children and families affected by parental mental illness using platforms, e.g., PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, etc. The review was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The information was plotted and synthesized based on population, concept, and context criteria (PCC). This review included sixteen studies based on nine peer-reviewed publications, two research protocols, and five grey literature sources. The studies were reviewed for the type of materials used, modality, content, format, and details of sessions. Digital psychoeducational programs used in these studies have shown improvements in mental health literacy, child and family communication, coping, and a decrease in stigma. This scoping review notes that digital psychoeducational programs could benefit children and families with parental mental illness. Yet, it is essential to conduct large-scale, comparative, and longitudinal studies using effective digital psychoeducational resources and platforms addressing the local needs of affected children and families across the globe.