Poverty-informed prevention may help reduce child mental health problems

Researchers conducted a realist synthesis, searching six electronic databases and grey literature for evidence on interventions intended to prevent mental health problems among children and parents living in poverty. The review included 67 unique studies reported in 73 papers. It examined how context and intervention mechanisms may influence prevention, rather than estimating a single pooled effect.

The synthesis found that nurturing early-years educational interventions offered universally to children living in poverty may help address differences in risk exposure and prevent behavioural problems. For children facing greater vulnerability at different developmental stages, or experiencing more substantial effects of risk exposure, the authors suggest targeted interventions that recognise poverty’s impacts and support parents in their parenting role.

The authors conclude that prevention may be more effective when responses are poverty-informed and proportionate to need, addressing interacting pathways affecting both children and parents. Findings are limited by short follow-up periods, a lack of evidence on fathers’ mental health, and limited diversity in study samples. The synthesis identifies promising approaches but does not establish a single intervention’s effectiveness across populations or settings.