Peer-reviewed article
Psychosocial interventions to support parenting among parents with cancer: A scoping review.
Yingchun Li, Meichan Chong, Pinglei Chui, Lin Mo, Liande Tao et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This scoping review examines psychosocial interventions designed to support parents with cancer in their parenting roles and reduce psychological distress. The review identified 53 studies with interventions including parent-child communication support, psychoeducation, coping skills training, and social support. Most interventions showed positive trends in improving parenting confidence and family functioning, though few were culturally tailored or adapted for different child developmental stages.
Key points
- 53 studies met inclusion criteria for psychosocial interventions targeting parents with cancer
- Common intervention components included parent-child communication support, psychoeducation, and coping skills training
- Most interventions demonstrated positive trends in parenting confidence, communication quality, and family functioning
- Few interventions were culturally tailored or designed for diverse family structures and child developmental stages
- Digital and web-based approaches were emerging but remained limited
Limitations
This is a scoping review that maps existing evidence rather than evaluates a specific intervention, so it cannot provide definitive causal conclusions about intervention effectiveness. The review does not assess the quality of individual studies or provide meta-analysis of outcomes.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Parents diagnosed with cancer face unique psychosocial challenges that may adversely affect parenting capacity and family functioning. This scoping review aimed to systematically map and synthesize the existing evidence on psychosocial interventions designed to support parenting and reduce psychological distress among parents with cancer. METHODS: This review followed the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley, with enhancements from Levac et al. Nine electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to June 30, 2025. Two reviewers independently conducted study selection and data extraction using predefined criteria. Eligible studies included psychosocial interventions targeting parents with cancer and reporting parenting-related or psychosocial outcomes. Data were charted and narratively synthesized. RESULTS: A total of 53 studies met the inclusion criteria. Interventions varied considerably in theoretical foundations, delivery modes, duration, and intensity. Common components included parent-child communication support, psychoeducation, social support facilitation, coping skills training, and self-efficacy enhancement. Most interventions demonstrated positive trends in improving parenting confidence, communication quality, emotional adjustment, and family functioning. However, few interventions were culturally tailored or specifically designed to address developmental stages of children or diverse family structures. Digital and web-based approaches were emerging but remained limited. CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial interventions show promise in supporting parenting and psychosocial well-being among parents with cancer. Nevertheless, significant gaps remain in cultural adaptation, personalization, and scalability. Future research should prioritize theory-informed intervention development, inclusion of underrepresented populations, and the integration of digital health strategies to enhance accessibility and sustainability.