Caregiver engagement interventions on reducing the anxiety and depression of children with chronic health conditions and their caregivers: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background Anxiety and depression are common debilitating mental health issues in families of children with chronic health conditions. It is essential to consider the mediating role of caregivers between children and healthcare workers. Previous research has evaluated the effectiveness of caregiver engagement interventions in reducing anxiety and depression in chronically ill children and their caregivers, but their overall impact awaits a synthesis of the available evidence. Methods We performed a comprehensive search using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Ovid, PsycINFO, APA PsycArticles, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). Results Twenty-nine studies were included. The results demonstrated that caregiver engagement interventions significantly decreased anxiety (standardized mean difference [SMD] = −0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.77 to −0.22; P < 0.001) and depression (SMD = −0.37; 95% CI, −0.55 to −0.18; P < 0.001) among caregivers, particularly in developing countries. However, no improvements in the anxiety (SMD = 0.00; 95% CI, −0.46 to 0.46; P = 0.99) and depression (SMD = −0.14; 95% CI, −0.32 to 0.04; P = 0.14) of children were observed. Conclusions Significant evidence exists regarding the positive effects of caregiver engagement interventions on caregivers' anxiety and depression. Further recommendations for future research should focus on engagement interventions that reduce the anxiety and depression for children with chronic conditions. Implications Clinicians should concentrate on the mental health of chronically ill children and their caregivers and extend caregiver engagement therapies to improve anxiety and depression resulting from managing the disease.