Parenting experiences and family dynamics in pediatric burn care settings from hospitalization to the return home: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION

Pediatric burns constitute a traumatic event for the child and the family, particularly for parents who assume a continuous and central role in care. Despite a growing body of research on pediatric burns, knowledge about parental experiences remains fragmented. This scoping review aims to map the available evidence on the experience of parents and carers of children with burns across the continuum of care, focusing on traumatic impact, coping responses, and continuity-of-care challenges.

METHODS

This study followed the methodology proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and structured using the PRISMA-ScR. Studies were identified through MEDLINE, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection. The inclusion criteria considered studies related to the psychological and emotional impact associated with pediatric burns and hospitalization on parental and family dynamics.

RESULTS

A total of 63 studies published between 1993 and 2025 were included. They describe parental experiences across the continuum of pediatric burn care as characterized by intense emotional and functional demands arising from the immediate emotional impact of the injury, prognostic uncertainty, fear, and early disruptions to family organization. Parental adjustment is described as a non-linear and fluctuating process, marked by continuous attempts to regain control, restore parental identity, and rebuild family functioning.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review mapped the available evidence on parental adjustment, described as an emotionally intense and functionally demanding process, shaped by interactions among family members, the healthcare team, and community systems. Future priorities should include multicenter longitudinal studies to map adjustment trajectories and identify predictors of recovery and post-traumatic growth.