The following is a summary of “A scoping review of resilience among transition-age youth with serious mental illness: tensions, knowledge gaps, and future directions,” published in the September 2023 issue of Ophthalmology by Nesbitt et al.

Resilience research in transition-age youth (aged 16–29 years) with serious mental illness (SMI) is promising but lacks clarity due to variability in definition and measurement. Researchers performed a retrospective study to map resilience in transition-age youth with SMI, explore resilience factors and outcomes, and recommend future research.

They utilized a 6-stage scoping review, systematically identifying pertinent empirical literature from various databases (including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, CINAHL, Scopus) on transition-age youth diagnosed with SMI and resilience. Topic Consultation and reaction meetings involved transition-age youth with SMI, researchers, and clinicians throughout the review process, aimed to enhance the applicability of the review findings. Employing a meta-narrative approach studies into research traditions characterized by similar storylines, theoretical foundations, and methodological orientations were categorized. Their analysis encompassed resilience factors and outcomes, as well as findings from the consultative meetings, utilizing content analysis.

The results showed that 24 studies met inclusion criteria (comprising 14 quantitative, 9 qualitative, and 1 mixed-method). These studies identified 4 research traditions, each presenting a distinct perspective on resilience: Stress Adaptation, Person-Environment Interactions, Recovery-Focused, and Critical and Cultural Perspectives. Resilience factors and outcomes were assessed individually or within the immediate environment (e.g., personal attributes and social support networks). More research is needed to explore the impact of macro-level systems and health inequalities on resilience processes. Findings from the consultative meetings underscored the significance of health services and sociocultural factors in influencing youth resilience processes.

They concluded that interdisciplinary research is needed to advance the understanding of resilience in transition-age youth with SMI.

Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-05158-0