Social factors influencing adolescent recovery during the peri-hospitalization period: A scoping review protocol

Objective: This scoping review aims to identify the social factors that influence the recovery of adolescents living with mental disorder during the peri-hospitalization period. It also seeks to identify the theoretical models used to conceptualize these social influences.

Introduction: Adolescence is a critical period for the onset of mental disorders, with a proportion of youth experiencing psychological distress that may require psychiatric hospitalization. While hospitalization can offer clinical benefits, it also presents psychosocial challenges throughout the peri-hospitalization period, which includes the pre-hospitalization, hospitalization, and post-hospitalization phases. As recovery is deeply shaped by social contexts, the specific social factors that support or hinder this process during such a vulnerable time remain underexplored.

Inclusion criteria: The review will include studies focusing on adolescents living with a mental disorder. Eligible studies must examine social factors related to recovery within the peri-hospitalization context. No restrictions will be placed on geographic location, gender, ethnicity, or cultural background.

Methods: The review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. A comprehensive three-step search strategy will be implemented across multiple databases (PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar), including grey literature. Two independent reviewers will screen studies using Covidence, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Data extraction will include study characteristics, theoretical frameworks, population details, and findings related to social factors and recovery dimensions. Results will be reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines and presented through visual and narrative synthesis.