Parenting for the Promotion of Adolescent Mental Health

Adolescence is a critical period of development, when one-in-five psychiatric disorders emerge. Anxiety, depression, and suicide are the most common. However, most children and youth in need of mental health services in Canada do not have access to them. There is limited information about education and support programs for parents of adolescents to promote their children’s mental health, particularly among ethno-cultural populations. Moreover, the quality of studies focused on these programs is variable. An
environmental scan was conducted to identify community-based programs across Canada oriented to assist the parents of adolescents in the promotion of mental health, as well as the challenges and areas for improvement of these interventions. Alongside, a scoping review of the international and Canadian literature on this topic was carried out. This Policy Brief presents the results and recommendations of both studies.