Work

Factors influencing the mental health of young people with disability in Australia: a systematic scoping review

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Young Australians with disability experience poorer mental health than their non-disabled peers. Despite this, there is no synthesis of the factors influencing their mental health. To address this gap, we conducted a scoping review using the socio-ecological model to identify and synthesise these factors. STUDY DESIGN: A scoping review following JBI methodology and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). DATA SOURCES: Medline, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ERIC were searched for Australian peer-reviewed empirical studies published between January 2015 and April 2026. DATA SYNTHESIS: Of the 2,712 publications identified, only 11 met inclusion criteria, highlighting a limited evidence base. Guided by the socio-ecological model, we identified 10 factors influencing mental health. Reported factors at the individual level included functioning in daily living activities, chronic pain, impairment type, and employment status. At the interpersonal level, factors included exposure to bullying and victimisation, sense of belonging, and relationships with teachers and peers. At the organisational level, factors related to education, including the physical design of learning spaces, and the flexibility and accommodations available for navigating the educational environment. No publications addressed community- or policy-level factors. Few included perspectives of young Australians with disability, and none reported co-design. No research was in rural and remote contexts or included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. CONCLUSION: Evidence on the mental health of young Australians with disability is sparse. This limits the capacity of current responses to address the broader conditions shaping mental health and wellbeing. Action is needed to shift beyond an individual focus toward coordinated, multi-level strategies that address structural drivers of mental health inequities.

Source: BMC Public Health

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-026-28583-8