Table 2.

Intervention content and therapy classification of included studies

Author	Therapy summary	Therapy type
Shekarabi-Ahari 2012 Cancer	Hope Therapy. Parents received training in goal identification and definition, positive self-talk, visualizing steps to goal completion, evaluating eating and exercise habits, addressing obstacles to goal attainment, and relapse prevention. Children did not receive any intervention	CBT
Allen 1998 Painful condition (migraine)	Thermal biofeedback plus parent behaviour management. Parents were provided with pain behaviour management guidelines which focused on minimising attention to pain, encouraging the child to participate in daily activities, and praising practice of biofeedback. Children received thermal biofeedback training	CBT
Ambrosino 2008 Diabetes	Coping skills training. Parents and children received training in communication skills, social problem solving, recognising links between thoughts/feelings/behaviours, stress management and conflict resolution. The focus of this intervention was to improve participants’ general ability to manage daily problems, and did not directly address diabetes management	CBT
Antonini 2014 TBI	I-InTERACT. Parents were taught positive parenting skills, antecedent behaviour management strategies, and didactic information on cognitive and behavioral sequelae of traumatic brain injury. Families could also complete four supplemental modules on communication skills, working with the school, pain management, and guilt/grief. Training was completed via self-guided online modules and videoconferencing with a study therapist that included in vivo parent coaching where parents played with the child and received live feedback from the study therapist through an earpiece	PST
Askins 2009 Cancer	PST + PDA. Mothers received problem solving training using the Bright IDEAS framework: Be optimistic about solving problems, Identify the problem, Determine options, Evaluate options and choose one, Act and See if it worked. Mothers were also provided a personal digital assistant (PDA) device that was designed to review and practise problem solving steps and record problems and solutions encountered between sessions. Children did not receive any intervention	PST
Barakat 2010 Painful condition (SCD)	Pain management intervention. Parents and children received education about sickle cell disease (SCD) as well as training in deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, cognitive restructuring and guided imagery	CBT
Barry 1997 Painful condition (Headache)	Cognitive behavioural group treatment. Parents received pain education as well as training in relaxation, imagery and positive parenting strategies. Children received pain education as well as training in relaxation, imagery, distraction and cognitive restructuring	CBT
Celano 2012 Asthma	Home-based family intervention. Families received asthma education regarding trigger control resources and feedback on the child’s lung functioning and metered does inhaler (MDI)/spacer technique, as well as psychosocial modules targeting family rules and discipline, family communication and caregiver mental health	FT
Connelly 2006 Painful condition (Headache)	Headstrong programme. Using CD-ROMs, children and parents jointly completed a module on management of pain behaviours and creation of a pain-coping plan. Children received headache education and training in guided imagery, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, cognitive restructuring and problem solving	CBT
Duarte 2006 Painful condition (RAP)	Cognitive-behavioural family intervention. Parents and children received education about abdominal pain as well as training in operant techniques with an emphasis on increasing adaptive behaviours when in pain, deep breathing, physical exercise, progressive muscle relaxation, thought stopping, distraction and imagery	CBT
Ellis 2004 Diabetes	Multisystemic therapy (MST). Families received an intensive, family- and community-based intervention designed to target problems related to adherence to diabetes treatment across the multiple systems within which the child and their family operated. A variety of psychological interventions were employed depending on individual need, including cognitive behavioural therapy, parent training and behavioural family systems therapy	MST
Ellis 2005 Diabetes	Multisystemic therapy (MST). See Ellis 2004 above.	MST
Ellis 2012 Diabetes	Multisystemic therapy (MST). Families received an intensive, family-centred, community-based intervention designed for adolescents with poor-self management of diabetes. Parent intervention included education about diabetes care, operant training, and communication skills training. Peer intervention included enlisting the support of peers to support regimen adherence. School interventions included problem solving with school personnel to monitor, support and communicate with the family regarding the adolescent’s diabetes care and regimen adherence. Strategies were also developed to support the adolescent’s regimen adherence in community settings, and to promote a positive working relationship with healthcare providers. Adolescent interventions focused on improving diabetes care skills and increasing motivation for completing diabetes care	MST
Gulewitsch 2013 Painful condition (FAP + IBS)	Brief hypnotherapeutic-behavioural intervention. Parents received training in operant learning mechanisms and were educated about the link between stress, anxiety and FAP’s. Children received training in hypnosis and education about the relationship between stress and FAP	CBT
Hicks 2006 Painful condition (RAP)	Online psychological treatment for pae-diatric recurrent pain. Using a website, parents received training in ways to promote healthy behaviour. Children received pain education as well as training in deep breathing, relaxation, imagery, cognitive strategies and healthy lifestyle choices. Children also received a tape of personalised relaxation exercises and a thought journal. Each week, families were contacted by a researcher via phone or email to check progress and review materials	CBT
Hoekstra-Weebers 1998 Cancer	Intervention programme for parents of paediatric cancer patients. Parents received education regarding the potential impact of the child’s illness on the child and family as well as training in emotional expression, cognitive restructuring, problem-focused coping skills, communication and assertiveness skills. Children did not receive any intervention	CBT
Kashikar-Zuck 2005 Painful condition (Fibromyalgia)	Coping skills training. Parents received operant training with a focus on encouraging active coping behaviour and independent pain management. Children received education about behavioural pain management as well as training in progressive muscle relaxation, distraction, activity pacing, cognitive techniques and problem solving	CBT
Kashikar-Zuck 2012 Painful condition (Fibromyalgia)	Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for the treatment of juvenile fibromyalgia. This intervention is a revised version of the Coping Skills Training program evaluated in Kashikar-Zuck (2005). Parents received operant training with a focus on encouraging independent pain management, maintaining a normal routine, avoiding status checks and increasing their child’s use of coping skills learned in the programme. Children received education about behavioural pain management as well as training in progressive muscle relaxation, distraction, activity pacing, using self statements, problem solving and relapse prevention strategies	CBT
Kazak 2004 Cancer	Surviving Cancer Competently Intervention Programme (SCCIP). Families received education about the link between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and training in cognitive restructuring. Families also participated in discussion groups about the ways cancer has affected their family, recognising and responding to distress in other family members, and acknowledging and accepting their cancer experience	CBT
Laffel 2003 Diabetes	Teamwork intervention. Parents and children received training in communicating about diabetes and sharing blood glucose results with family members, the need for teamwork between parents and children in diabetes management during adolescence, managing family members’ responses to the child’s blood glucose levels, sharing diabetes management with family members, and using a diary to help problem solve high and low blood glucose levels	FT
Lask 1979 Asthma	Family psychotherapy. This intervention aimed to improve the psychological well-being of the family by focusing on attitudes towards asthma and its treatment, fear of death and negative emotions experienced by family members	FT
Lehmkuhl 2010 Diabetes	Telehealth behavioural therapy. Using telephone contact, families received diabetes education in addition to training in specific skills targeting diabetes care and family functioning, including problem solving, behavioural contracting, communication skills, cognitive restructuring and family structuring	FT
Levy 2010 Painful condition (FAP)	Social learning and cognitive behavioural therapy. Children and parents received pain education in addition training in deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, imagery, operant strategies, cognitive restructuring and relapse prevention strategies	CBT
Marsland 2013 Cancer	Connections to Coping intervention. Parents received education about stress and training in methods of relaxation, approaches to managing stress within the family (e.g., communication skills training), problem solving around increasing social support, and operant training. Children were given access to an online program designed to provide information about methods of coping with stress, guided relaxation exercises, social support via message boards and emails with study staff, and links to local resources	CBT
Mullins 2012 Cancer	Interdisciplinary intervention. Parent intervention included education about the nature of uncertainty and training in communication skills, cognitive coping skills, problem solving skills, and social support. Treatment was delivered via alternating sessions with a psychologist and a nurse, with nursing sessions focusing on reinforcing the content taught by the psychologist. Children did not receive any intervention	PST
Naar-King 2014 Asthma	Multisystemic Therapy adapted for health care settings (MST-HC). Adolescents received training in asthma education. Parents received operant training, communication skills training, and problem solving to develop family routines around the adolescent’s asthma care. School interventions included strategies to support communication between the family and the school and increasing accessibility of medications to youths while in school. Strategies were also developed to support a positive relationship between the family and healthcare providers	MST
Nansel 2009 Diabetes	WE*CAN Intervention. Parents and children jointly selected a goal for the child’s diabetes management and developed a plan to address this problem using the WE*CAN process: W - work together to set goals, E - explore possible barriers and solutions, C - choose the best solutions, A - act on your plan, N - note the results	PST
Nansel 2012 Diabetes	See Nansel 2009.	PST
Ng 2008 Asthma	We Together - We success Parallel Group for Children with Asthma and their Parents (WTWS). Parents and children received asthma education and discuss issues regarding mutual respect between family members, psychosocial factors that may impact asthma symptoms, applying concepts from traditional Chinese medicine to asthma management, and fostering the child’s independence	FT
Niebel 2000 Skin Diseases (Eczema)	Direct parental education in groups. Parents received asthma education and training in operant strategies, scratch-control techniques, stress management, progressive muscle relaxation, how to coach their children in using progressive muscle relaxation, how to conduct social skills training with their children and relapse prevention. Children did not participate in the intervention	CBT
Palermo 2009 Painful condition (Mixed pain conditions)	Web-based Management of Adolescent Pain (Web-MAP). Using an internet program, parents received education about chronic pain and training in recognising stress and negative emotions, operant strategies, modelling, sleep hygiene and lifestyle, communication and relapse prevention. Children received education about chronic pain and training in recognising stress and negative emotions, deep breathing and relaxation, distraction, cognitive skills, sleep hygiene and lifestyle, staying active and relapse prevention	CBT
Robins 2005 Painful condition (RAP)	Short-term cognitive behavioural therapy. Children and parents received education about pain and stress as well as training in deep breathing, imagery, relaxation and operant strategies. Children also training in tracking the antecedents and consequences of pain episodes and cognitive restructuring	CBT
Sanders 1994 Painful condition (RAP)	Cognitive-behavioural family intervention. Parents received education about behavioural pain management, operant training and relapse prevention. Children received education about behavioural pain management, muscle relaxation, deep breathing, imagery, cognitive restructuring, distraction and relapse prevention	CBT
Sahler 2002 Cancer	Problem solving skills training. Mothers received problem solving training using the Bright IDEAS framework: Be optimistic about solving problems, Identify the problem, Determine options, Evaluate options and choose one, Act and See if it worked. Children did not receive any intervention	PST
Sahler 2005 Cancer	Problem solving skills training. See Sahler 2002	PST
Sahler 2013 Cancer	Problem solving skills training. See Sahler 2002	PST
Saßman 2012 Diabetes	DELFIN intervention (Das Elterntraining für Eltern von Kindern mit Diabetes Typ 1 (The parenting program for parents of children with diabetes type 1). Parents received communication skills training and operant training focused on the child’s diabetes management as well as family conflict not related to the child’s diabetes. Children did not receive any intervention	FT
Seid 2010 Asthma	Problem solving skills training + care co-ordination. Parents received in-home asthma education, referrals to community resources, co-ordination with medical providers and problem solving training using the Bright IDEAS framework (see Sahler 2002 above). Children did not receive any intervention	PST
Stark 2005 Painful condition (Juvenile Rhuematoid Arthritis)	Behavioral Intervention (BI). Parents received nutrition education and operant training focused on gradually increasing their child’s calcium intake. Children received nutrition education and participated in a practice meal during each session where operant techniques were used to motivate children to reach their calcium goals during the meal	BI
Stehl 2009 Cancer	Surviving Cancer Competently Intervention Programme - Newly diagnosed (SCCIP-ND). Parents received education about the link between thoughts, feelings and behaviours, training in cognitive restructuring, and discussion of beliefs about the role cancer will play in the family’s future. Parents also watched a CD-ROM of other parents of children with cancer discussing their experiences and responses to diagnosis. Children did not receive any intervention	CBT
Tsiouli 2014 Diabetes	Stress management. Parents received training in relaxation methods. They were also encouraged to have a healthy lifestyle and engage in positive diet and exercise behaviours. Children did not receive any intervention	CBT
Wade 2006a TBI	Family problem solving intervention. Families received problem solving training using the ABCDE framework (Aim, Brainstorm, Choose, Do It and Evaluate) and were encouraged to have a positive attitude towards problem solving. Families also received education on the effects of TBI on child functioning as well as training in behavioural management, communication skills and handling crises	PST
Wade 2006b TBI	Family problem solving intervention. Using an internet program and videoconferencing, families received training in problem solving, communication, behaviour management skills and relapse prevention. Families could also complete supplemental sessions if needed on stress management, working with the school, sibling concerns, anger management, pain management and marital communication	PST
Wade 2011 TBI	Teen Online Problem Solving (TOPS). Using an internet program and videoconferencing, families received training in stress management, problem solving, planning and organisation, communication and self regulation. Families could also complete supplemental sessions if needed on stress management, self care, marital communication, memory difficulties, planning for after high school graduation, sibling concerns, pain management and communication between teens and parents	PST
Wysocki 1999 Diabetes	Behavioural Family Systems Therapy (BFST). Families received training in problem solving skills, communication skills and cognitive restructuring as well as functional and structural family therapy interventions targeting family systems issues that may have interfered with effective problem solving and communication skills	FT
Wysocki 2006 Diabetes	Behavioural Family Systems Therapy for Diabetes (BFST-D). This intervention is a revised version of the BFST intervention evaluated in Wysocki 1999. Families received training in problem solving, communication skills and cognitive restructuring as well as functional and structural family therapy interventions targeting family systems issues related to effective problem solving and communication. Diabetes-specific adaptations included targeting two or more barriers to diabetes management in treatment, training in behavioural contracting, education in how to improve diabetic control based on data from self monitoring of blood glucose levels, simulation of living with diabetes by parents for 1 week, and involvement of peers/teachers/extended family in treatment as needed	FT

BFST-D: Behavioural Family Systems Therapy for Diabetes; BI: Behavioural intervention; CBT: cognitive behavioural therapy; FAP: Functional abdominal pain; FT: family therapy; IBS: Irritable bowel syndrome; MST: multisystemic therapy; PST: problem-solving therapy; RAP: Recurrent abdominal pain; TBI: traumatic brain injury.