Infant Mental Health Prevention and Treatment: A Systematic Review Examining the Role of Homelessness

Purpose Whereas many prevention and treatment programs exist for children and families, there have been no reviews specifically examining infant mental health outcomes. Furthermore, despite high rates of infants and families experiencing homelessness, little work has evaluated the effectiveness of these parenting programs in such vulnerable populations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to a) systematically examine prevention and treatment parenting programs targeting infant mental health outcomes in infants from birth to age 2 years, b) highlight strengths and limitations of current interventions, and c) identify gaps in the existing literature to inform future mental health intervention science in areas of greatest need, specifically within the context of homelessness. Methods From over 15,000 publications initially identified, thirty-three prevention and treatment programs met inclusion criteria for this review. Each program was reviewed for level of scientific evidence. Results Of the thirty-three programs reviewed, eleven (33%) were classified as promising. An additional 18% were classified as ineffective, emerging, and effective. Lastly, only four programs (12%; Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Triple P-Positive Parenting Program, and Video-feedback Intervention Parenting Program) were classified as evidence-based based on infant mental health outcomes. Few of the identified programs have been implemented in homeless shelters, with no randomized control trials to date. Conclusions There is a dearth of literature examining programs targeting infant mental health. Even those programs considered evidence-based have not been thoroughly examined among families in shelter settings.