No Child Left Behind: A Rapid Review of Contextualizing Mental Health Intervention Models for Children During the Pandemic

The crises triggered by the pandemic had significant short- and long-term effects on the psychological well-being of children. Restrictions on movement, quarantine, social distancing, and school disruption generated feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, fear, and emotional changes. These challenges were further compounded for children with pre-existing mental health conditions and those living in underdeveloped or developing countries, like the Caribbean. In such circumstances, there is a need for increased psychological support to assist children in navigating challenging times. To promote resilience and to help children adjust better to future life uncertainties, innovative mental health models for intervention aimed at promoting coping strategies during volatile periods are needed—particularly those that are culturally situated in a unique social and psychological landscape. This paper adopted a systematic review of the empirical evidence to explore the utility of existing mental health intervention approaches that have been used to build coping strategies and foster resilience in children. Several databases including PsycInfo, ProQuest, and PubMed were used to obtain peer-reviewed articles for the review process. Studies that examined psychological intervention strategies for children during the pandemic, culturally relevant intervention, and child-centred psychological treatment approaches were included. The results suggest that regardless of the specific therapy modality, in treating psychological distress associated with the pandemic, culturally relevant and child-centred treatment approaches must consider the social, political, cultural, and historical factors that affect societies. The findings discussed within the psycho-socio-ecological framework, guided the development of a proposed mental health model, and encapsulated both risk and protective factors.