Let's Talk about Children as a Preventive Intervention for Families with Parental Mental Illness: A Scoping Review of Evidence, Implementation, and Cross-Context Adaptation

This scoping review aims to systematically map the evidence base of Let’s Talk about Children (LTC), a family-focused preventive intervention originally developed in Finland to support children of parents with mental illness (COPMI). Although LTC has been disseminated internationally and adapted across diverse service settings, no comprehensive scoping review has synthesized the full scope of its research. The objectives of this review are to (1) identify the populations, settings, and study designs represented in LTC research; (2) examine how LTC has been adapted and implemented across countries and service systems; (3) summarize the available evidence regarding effectiveness and outcomes; and (4) identify methodological and thematic gaps in the literature. The review will follow the methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley and the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for scoping reviews and will be reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR. A systematic search will be conducted across six electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and Embase), supplemented by reference screening and citation tracking. Eligible studies will include peer-reviewed publications focusing substantively on LTC or its derivative forms. Given expected heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes, findings will be synthesized narratively and organized into thematic domains. Consistent with scoping review methodology, formal critical appraisal will not be conducted. This review will provide an evidence map to inform researchers, clinicians, and policymakers regarding the current state of LTC research and priorities for future investigation.