KK, MW, and SC oversaw the study design. KK and SC led data acquisition through the literature reviews, Delphi surveys, and Open Review surveys, as well as data analysis and interpretation. KK takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of data analysis. All authors attended teleconferences, and all but the core project team (KK, MW, SC) completed anonymous votes and feedback surveys as part of the Delphi process and formed consensus on the final recommendation. KK drafted the manuscript with support from SC, and all co-authors critically reviewed the working draft and agreed to the revisions and final submission. Administrative, technical, and organisational support was provided by SC. Declaration of interests AMA receives royalties fromOxford University Press for the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS), Child and Parent Versions. PB is involved with the development across Australia of routine outcome measurement in public mental health. He chairs the National Mental Health Child and Adolescent Information Development Expert AdvisoryGroup. There is an interest in supporting routine outcome measurement and benchmarking between organisations.

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IntroductionAn important consideration for determining the severity of mental health symptoms is their impact on youth’s daily lives. Those wishing to assess ‘life impact’ face several challenges: First, various measurement instruments are available, including of global functioning, health-related quality of life and well-being. Existing reviews have tended to focus on one of these domains; consequently, a comprehensive overview is lacking. Second, the extent to which such instruments truly capture distinct concepts is unclear. Third, many available scales conflate symptoms and their impact, thus undermining much needed analyses of associations between the two.Methods and analysisA scoping umbrella review will examine existing reviews of life impact measures for use with children and youth aged 6–24 years in the context of mental health and well-being research. We will systematically search six bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the COSMIN database of systematic reviews of outcome measurement instruments), and conduct systematic record screening, data extraction and charting based on methodological guidance by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data synthesis will involve the tabulation of scale characteristics, feasibility and measurement properties, and the use of summary statistics to synthesise how these instruments operationalise life impact. The protocol was registered prospectively with the Open Science Framework (osf.io/ers48).Ethics and disseminationThis study will provide a comprehensive road map for researchers and clinicians seeking to assess life impact in youth mental health, providing guidance in navigating available measurement options. We will seek to publish the findings in a leading peer-reviewed journal in the field. Formal research ethics approval will not be required.

Introduction: An important consideration for determining the severity of mental health symptoms is their impact on youth's daily lives. Those wishing to assess life impact face several challenges: First, various measurement instruments are available, including of global functioning, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and well-being. Existing reviews have tended to focus on one of these domains; consequently, a comprehensive overview is lacking. Second, the extent to which such instruments truly capture distinct concepts is unclear. Third, many available scales conflate symptoms and their impact, thus undermining much needed analyses of associations between the two. Methods and analysis: A scoping umbrella review will examine existing reviews of life impact measures for use with 6-24-year-olds in the context of mental health and well-being research. We will systematically search five bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science), and conduct systematic record screening, data extraction and charting based on methodological guidance by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Data synthesis will involve the tabulation of scale characteristics, feasibility, and measurement properties, and the use of summary statistics to synthesize how these instruments operationalize life impact. Ethics and dissemination: This study will provide a comprehensive road map for researchers and clinicians seeking to assess life impact in youth mental health, providing guidance in navigating available measurement options. We will seek to publish the findings in a leading peer-reviewed journal in the field. Formal research ethics approval will not be required. Registration details: This protocol was registered prospectively with the Open Science Framework (osf.io/jfqdv).