Investigating the Role of Friendship Interventions on the Mental Health Outcomes of Adolescents: A Scoping Review of Range and A Systematic Review of Effectiveness
Date
2023-01-25
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Abstract
Friendships are crucial in adolescent development. This paper presents a scoping review,
followed by a systematic review, to assess friendship interventions and their impacts on the mental
health outcomes of adolescents aged 12–24 years. Studies were included if they incorporated a
friend or authentic social group in an intervention dedicated to improving mental health outcomes
and well‐being. Twenty‐four studies were included in the scoping review, and eighteen in the sys‐
tematic review. Data from 12,815 adolescents were analysed; three prominent themes emerged. The
most common theme was promoting mental health literacy, followed by supporting help‐seeking,
and friendship‐building/combating isolation. Most evaluations focused on the individual who had
received the intervention, rather than their wider friends who would have been potential contacts
and experienced any altered interactions. Of the studies focusing on friendship‐building, all had
positive short‐term outcomes but inconclusive long‐term effects. Two studies recruited friends from
an individual’s authentic social group. While opportunities for improving mental health literacy
and help‐seeking emerged as key themes, the role of friends in mental health interventions has only
been included in a small number of studies. Given that friends are a key point of contact for many
adolescents, a better understanding of their domains of influence, particularly on mental health, will
potentially enhance interventions.
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Keywords
: friendship; mental health; adolescents; intervention; help‐seeking