Lack of evidence on mental health and well-being impacts of individual-level interventions for vulnerable adolescents: systematic mapping review

Objectives: To review empirical evaluations of individual-level interventions intended to improve mental health or wellbeing for vulnerable adolescents. Study design: Systematic mapping review. Methods: Thirteen databases covering academic and grey literature were searched for published reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and grey literature (2005-2016) and the results quality-assessed to prioritize best available evidence. We aimed to identify well conducted systematic reviews and trials that evaluated individual-level interventions, for mental health/wellbeing outcomes, where the population was adolescents aged 10-24 years in any of 12 vulnerable groups at high risk of poor health outcomes (e.g. homeless, offenders, 'looked after', carers). Results: Thirty systematic reviews and 16 additional trials were identified. There was insufficient evidence to identify promising individual-level interventions that improve the mental health/wellbeing of any of the vulnerable groups. Conclusions: Despite Western policy to promote health and wellbeing among vulnerable young people, the dearth of evidence suggests a lack of interest in evaluating interventions targeting these groups in respect of their mental health/wellbeing outcomes