Parents' Experiences of Accessing Mental Health Services for Their Adolescents With Mental Health Challenges: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT

Aim

To analyse the literature on parents' experiences of accessing mental health services with their adolescents for mental health challenges in Ireland.

Background

Health systems globally have inadequately addressed mental health service needs resulting in notable gaps between population needs and access to adolescent mental health services.

Methods

This scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's six-stage framework and PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. Five electronic databases SocINDEX, MEDLINE, CINHAL, Scopus and EBSCO were searched and reference lists screened 2015–2024.

Results

Twenty-three studies were included. Applying Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis identified three themes: adolescent community mental health services for adolescents with mental health challenges, accessing mental healthcare services via emergeny departments for adolescents with mental health challenges and parents' experiences of accessing mental health services for their adolescents with mental health challenges.

Conclusion

Parents' experiences of accessing mental health services for their adolescents are not fully understood, and further research is required to map key concepts to inform practice and policymaking.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

The findings from this scoping review highlight challenges for adolescent mental health services in Ireland and internationally. Heightening awareness of these issues is necessary to improve the clinical practice of nurses.

No Patient or Public Contribution

This was a scoping review study.