Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40390084›Full record

SynthesisSystematic reviews2025

Place-based approaches to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people: a rapid realist review.

Anna March, Kate Allen, Karuna Davies, Julie Harris, Alison Bethel, Laura Kennedy, Tamanna Malhotra, Rachael Stemp, Bianca Alexandrescu, Tim Hobbs and 3 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Anna MarchChildren and Young People's Mental Health Research Collaboration, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Kate AllenChildren and Young People's Mental Health Research Collaboration, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Karuna DaviesDepartment of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK.
Julie HarrisDartington Service Design Lab, Buckfastleigh, England, UK.
Alison BethelChildren and Young People's Mental Health Research Collaboration, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Laura KennedyDepartment of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK.
Tamanna MalhotraChildren and Young People's Mental Health Research Collaboration, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Rachael StempAnna Freud, London, UK.
Bianca AlexandrescuDepartment of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK.
Tim HobbsDartington Service Design Lab, Buckfastleigh, England, UK.
Peter FonagyDepartment of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK.
Steve PillingDepartment of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK.
Vashti BerryChildren and Young People's Mental Health Research Collaboration, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK. v.berry@exeter.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-6438-3731

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdolescent mental health continues to be a pressing public health concern across the globe, in spite of renewed efforts in recent years to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes. With many mental health services and systems ill-equipped to meet young people's needs, there is growing evidence that prevention interventions addressing the social and structural determinants of mental health should be prioritised. Consequently, there is a move away from isolated interventions towards 'place-based approaches' that aim to unlock systemic or structural change. However, there is limited evidence on how these approaches create change and the different contextual factors or underlying mechanisms that influence outcomes. This is the first realist review on place-based approaches to improve young people's mental health.

methodsThis rapid realist review synthesises relevant literature on place-based approaches to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. The review involved consultation with programme developers, an expert panel of content specialists and a Young Person's Advisory Group. Online databases were searched for peer-reviewed and grey literature published between January 2000 and August 2023, resulting in 5685 articles.

resultsFifteen articles from eight countries were included in the review, from which 11 realist context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOCs) were developed to explain the underlying mechanisms present in the place-based approaches. These CMOCs were categorised into three themes: (1) Building relationships and trust, (2) bringing a social determinants lens, and (3) educating and empowering community stakeholders.

conclusionsThis review provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underpinning place-based approaches. However, the mechanisms identified primarily address the intermediate outcomes of place-based approaches, such as engaging the right stakeholders and creating opportunities for youth voices to be heard. Articles did not address the challenges around long-term sustainability and there remain crucial questions around the pathway to wider systemic change. Recommendations are included for future development and evaluation of place-based approaches to improve young people's mental health. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42023450778.

Indexed as

Mental HealthMental Health ServicesAdolescentChildHumansMental healthRealist reviewSocial determinantsSystemic changeWellbeing

Identifiers

PMID40390084
PMCPMC12090407

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.