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.