Interventions to support social–emotional outcomes for young children in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Vollständiger Abstract

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Abstract This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the impacts of interventions targeting social–emotional outcomes for young children (<8 years) living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Eighty-six (quasi-)experimental studies published prior to May, 2024 were included, reporting on 107 school-, home-, and community-based interventions with 27,378 children from 26 LMICs. Included interventions ranged in their content (social–emotional vs. not), setting of implementations (homes, schools, communities), target recipients (children vs. adults), and dosage. On average, interventions improved children's social–emotional outcomes by 0.47 SD (95%CI [0.36, 0.58]) in the short term (<6 months since intervention) and 0.09 SD [0.01, 0.18] in the long term (≥6 months). However, large variability in intervention effectiveness was only partially explained by the study and intervention characteristics examined. Prediction intervals also crossed zero, implying that future implementations of similar interventions are unlikely to yield universally positive impacts. Evidence for publication bias was also found. Taken together, results suggest that interventions can improve LMIC-based children's measured social–emotional outcomes, but attention to cultural considerations is needed to ensure meaningful and locally prioritized developmental gains.