Informal carers’ experiences of mental health services regarding supporting those they care for and getting support for their own wellbeing: A systematic umbrella review of qualitative evidence
- 1Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
Abstract
Informal carers play a vital role in supporting individuals with mental health difficulties. To provide an overarching synthesis of available evidence, this umbrella review aimed to synthesise qualitative review evidence on informal carers’ (including family members, friends, or other unpaid supporters) experiences of mental health services regarding supporting the individuals with mental health difficulties they care for and seeking support for their own wellbeing. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, a meta-aggregative umbrella review was conducted. Five databases were searched up to 9th May 2025: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, the Cochrane Library, and Epistemonikos. The quality of primary systematic reviews was assessed using a framework adapted from the work of SmithBattle and colleagues. Findings were extracted from eligible reviews and aggregated into categories, from which higher-order synthesised findings were developed. Twelve eligible qualitative reviews were identified covering a wide range of mental health service contexts. Six synthesised findings were identified: (1) emotional complexity in the caregiving journey; (2) recognition and coping with their loved ones’ mental health difficulties; (3) multiple barriers to accessing mental health support; (4) persistent responsibilities and roles in supporting service users; (5) complex experiences of engaging with services; and (6) relational strain during the caregiving process. While some carers reported positive experiences, most described exclusion, emotional distress, and structural barriers to support. This review highlights the urgent need for mental health services to recognise, involve, and support informal carers.
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BibTeX
@article{liu2026informal,
title = {{Informal carers’ experiences of mental health services regarding supporting those they care for and getting support for their own wellbeing: A systematic umbrella review of qualitative evidence}},
author = {Xiaoye Liu and Phoebe Barnett and Patrick Nyikavaranda and Laura Burley and Brynmor Lloyd-Evans},
journal = {PLOS Mental Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pmen.0000740},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/mentalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmen.0000740},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Informal carers’ experiences of mental health services regarding supporting those they care for and getting support for their own wellbeing: A systematic umbrella review of qualitative evidence
AU - Xiaoye Liu
AU - Phoebe Barnett
AU - Patrick Nyikavaranda
AU - Laura Burley
AU - Brynmor Lloyd-Evans
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/15
JO - PLOS Mental Health
DO - 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000740
UR - https://journals.plos.org/mentalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmen.0000740
AB - Informal carers play a vital role in supporting individuals with mental health difficulties. To provide an overarching synthesis of available evidence, this umbrella review aimed to synthesise qualitative review evidence on informal carers’ (including family members, friends, or other unpaid supporters) experiences of mental health services regarding supporting the individuals with mental health difficulties they care for and seeking support for their own wellbeing. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, a meta-aggregative umbrella review was conducted. Five databases were searched up to 9th May 2025: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, the Cochrane Library, and Epistemonikos. The quality of primary systematic reviews was assessed using a framework adapted from the work of SmithBattle and colleagues. Findings were extracted from eligible reviews and aggregated into categories, from which higher-order synthesised findings were developed. Twelve eligible qualitative reviews were identified covering a wide range of mental health service contexts. Six synthesised findings were identified: (1) emotional complexity in the caregiving journey; (2) recognition and coping with their loved ones’ mental health difficulties; (3) multiple barriers to accessing mental health support; (4) persistent responsibilities and roles in supporting service users; (5) complex experiences of engaging with services; and (6) relational strain during the caregiving process. While some carers reported positive experiences, most described exclusion, emotional distress, and structural barriers to support. This review highlights the urgent need for mental health services to recognise, involve, and support informal carers.
SN - 2837-8156
ER -