In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), children and families face a multitude of risk factors for mental health and well-being. These risks are even further exacerbated in humanitarian emergencies. However, access to effective mental health services in such settings is severely limited, leading to a large mental health treatment gap. Middle childhood (5–12 years) is a crucial period for human development during which symptoms of emotional distress often emerge, with one in three mental disorders developing prior to age 14. However, there is little evidence of effective psychological interventions for children in this developmental stage, and suitable for implementation within LMICs and humanitarian emergencies. We conducted this evidence review to inform the development of a new intervention package based on existing best practice for this age group, drawing insights from both global and LMIC resources. Our review synthesizes the findings of 52 intervention studies from LMICs and humanitarian settings; 53 existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses covering both LMICs and high-income countries, and 15 technical guidelines. Overall, there is limited high-quality evidence from which to draw recommendations for this age group; however, some promising intervention approaches were identified for children experiencing externalizing and internalizing symptoms, traumatic stress and a combination of difficulties. Several effective interventions utilize cognitive-behavioral techniques for children, in either group or individual format, and incorporate caregiver skills training into treatment, although the findings are mixed. Most evaluated interventions use specialists as delivery agents and are lengthy, which poses challenges for scale-up in settings where financial and human resources are scarce. These findings will inform the development of new psychological interventions for children in this age group with emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Volume 11 - 2024
Overview Review
Psychological interventions for children with emotional and behavioral difficulties aged 5–12 years: An evidence review
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- 16 May 2024, e75
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Review
Digital mental health interventions for treating mental disorders in young people based in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review of the literature
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- 27 August 2024, e74
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Research Article
The unmet need for mental health support among persons with disabilities in Somalia: Principal correlates and barriers to access
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- 24 May 2024, e73
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“I was also trying to protect myself and save my life,” experiences of people living with severe mental illness and their caregivers regarding COVID-19 response in Uganda
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- 30 May 2024, e72
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Father’s involvement associated with rural children’s depression and anxiety: A large-scale analysis based on data from seven provinces in China
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- 27 August 2024, e71
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Establishing partnerships with people with lived experience of mental illness for stigma reduction in low- and middle-income settings
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- 03 June 2024, e70
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Erratum
Nurturing families: A feasibility randomised controlled trial of a whole-family intervention with vulnerable families in Jordan – ERRATUM
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- 04 June 2024, e69
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Perspective
Research breakdowns: A constructive critique of research practice involving grief, trauma and displaced people
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- 09 May 2024, e68
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The relationship between internet gaming disorder, sleeping quality, self-compassion, physical activity participation and psychological distress: A path analysis
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- 01 April 2024, e67
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Exploring preference for delivery methods for a psychosocial intervention for prenatal anxiety: A qualitative study from a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan
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- 09 May 2024, e66
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Corrigendum
Scaling up the task-sharing of psychological therapies: A formative study of the PEERS smartphone application for supervision and quality assurance in rural India – CORRIGENDUM
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- 30 May 2024, e65
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Research Article
Psychosocial impacts of Baby Friendly Spaces for Rohingya refugee mothers in Bangladesh: A pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial
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- 07 May 2024, e64
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Characterizing the clinical and sociodemographic profiles of hospitalized adolescents with autism spectrum disorder
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- 13 May 2024, e63
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Mental health and psychosocial support programmes for displaced populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): A systematic review of process, perspectives and experiences
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- 06 May 2024, e62
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Feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of a community-based group psychosocial support model for conflict survivors in Colombia: An assessment of in-person and remote intervention modalities during the COVID-19 pandemic
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- 30 April 2024, e61
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“I would prefer to be dead than to live this way”: Lived experiences of stigma and discrimination against khwaja sira in Swat, Pakistan
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- 30 April 2024, e60
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Programmatic implementation of depression screening and remote mental health support sessions for persons recently diagnosed with TB in Lima, Peru during the COVID-19 pandemic
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- 04 April 2024, e59
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Understanding mental health stigma and discrimination in Ethiopia: A qualitative study
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- 30 April 2024, e58
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Prolonged grief disorder symptomology in three African countries: A network analysis and comparison
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- 29 April 2024, e57
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Enhancing mental health and well-being in adults from lower-resource settings: A mixed-method evaluation of the impact of problem management plus
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- 26 April 2024, e56
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