A systematic review of remotely delivered interventions to support wellbeing amongst caregivers of adults with acquired brain injuries

Background There is a need for improved access to evidence-based interventions supporting the wellbeing of caregivers of adults with acquired brain injury (ABI). Remotely delivered interventions could address this need. The present systematic review sought to collate studies evaluating remotely delivered interventions designed to improve the wellbeing of caregivers of adults with an ABI, to summarise findings and to comment on the quality of this research.Methods Systematic searches were conducted up until December 2023. Study characteristics, populations, interventions and outcomes were outlined, and papers were appraised on methodological quality. The review was pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42020189235).Results Eleven studies meeting inclusion criteria were identified. Methodological quality was generally low to adequate. Most studies evaluated an intervention for caregivers of people with stroke, with a variety of types of interventions trialled. The majority of studies reported non-significant findings on wellbeing outcomes when compared to control conditions.Conclusions There is limited evidence supporting a remotely delivered intervention to improve wellbeing outcomes for ABI caregivers. Specific recommendations are provided, including the development of a core set of outcomes and replication of findings over time, which can improve research into the development and evaluation of remote interventions for this population. Caring for someone with an acquired brain injury can impact negatively on wellbeing, and caregivers face a range of barriers to access services. This systematic review explored the evidence-base for supporting the psychological wellbeing of caregivers remotely. The literature was searched, and studies were summarised and evaluated on methodological quality. Eleven studies were found. In summary, there is currently little evidence supporting remote delivery to improve psychological wellbeing for this group. Recommendations for future research and intervention development are provided.