Effectiveness of peer support programmes for improving well‐being and quality of life in parents/carers of children with disability or chronic illness: A systematic review

Abstract

Aim This systematic review synthesized quantitative evidence from the past decade of the effectiveness of peer support programmes in improving the well‐being and/or quality of life (QoL) for parents/carers of children with disability/chronic illnesses. Background For children with disability or chronic illness, parents/carers are critical in enabling or limiting their child's development. The parent's/carer's ability to provide the necessary responsive and structured care is impacted by several factors, including their own personality, skills, resources and well‐being. Peer support programmes often aim to build parent/carer and/or family capabilities. Although studies and reviews have found positive benefits arising from such programmes, the impact of such programmes, specifically on well‐being and QoL, is unknown Results Quantitative studies published between 2011 and 2020 that examined the impact of programmes with a significant peer support component on parental/carer well‐being, QoL and/or distress were identified from four databases and were searched and yielded 3605 articles, with 13 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. The results suggested that peer support is effective for reducing distress and improving the well‐being and QoL among parents of children with disabilities; however, the evidence is limited by a high risk of bias in the included studies. Conclusions Although existing evidence suggests that programmes for parents/carers with a significant peer support component are beneficial for well‐being and QoL, rigorous methodologies are needed in the future to gain a better understanding of the benefits of such programmes.

An investigation of computer‐game addiction, physical activity level, quality of life and sleep of children with a sibling with a chronic condition

“…They emphasized that targeting family-child communication can be a useful way to improve the mental health of siblings. Similar to the peer interactions of siblings, peer support programmes can be organized for parents as well (Lancaster et al, 2023) Detailed analysis of other factors affecting quality of life was not performed in our study. In addition, only the children's conditions were evaluated independently of the parents.…”

“…They emphasized that targeting family‐child communication can be a useful way to improve the mental health of siblings. Similar to the peer interactions of siblings, peer support programmes can be organized for parents as well (Lancaster et al, 2023). Peer support refers to the support provided through social networks by others who are in a similar situation or who share similar experiences and studies, by developing social bonds and relationships between participants.…”

Exploring long‐term outcomes of a peer support programme for parents* of children with disability in Australia

“…This study provides preliminary insights into medium‐ and long‐term outcomes of peer support. Recent systematic reviews conducted by Shilling et al, (2013), Sartore et al (2021) and Lancaster et al (2022) conclude that none of the included studies incorporated a medium‐ or longer‐term follow‐up time point. Some positive outcomes occurred, which deserve replication in other studies.…”

Effectiveness of community‐based family‐focused interventions on family functioning among families of children with chronic health conditions: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…While home‐based interventions are convenient for families, they provide minimal opportunities for families to interact with other families who share similar experiences caring for their chronically ill children (Mullan et al, 2021). Such interactions should be promoted as they could allow families to receive valuable practical advice and genuine empathy from their peers and improve the well‐being of parents with chronically ill children (Elliott et al, 2022; Lancaster et al, 2022).…”