Exploring youth mental health prevention and promotion programmes designed in or adopted to four Central and Eastern European countries: a scoping review

BackgroundYoung people’s mental health in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) presents a complex landscape: substantial unmet need, critical service and evidence gaps coexist with emerging strengths in policy and grassroot initiatives. Mental health promotion and prevention are positioned as key strategies for addressing youth mental health concerns early. Cumulative and robust evidence and guidance on which prevention approaches are effective in CEE contexts are currently missing. AimsWe aimed to map key directions in youth mental health promotion and prevention programmes designed in or adapted to CEE settings, initially focusing on Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, and Serbia. MethodsWe conducted a scoping review to answer the research questions. We also conducted three focus group discussions with nine young people from CEE countries to triangulate findings.Results: Six papers covering 6 studies and 7 interventions met our inclusion criteria. Across the included studies, interventions targeted youth mental health promotion, prevention, and early intervention through diverse delivery models, including online platforms, school-based programmes, community-wide multi-level approaches, professional training programmes, and group-based psychosocial support in humanitarian settings. Most interventions relied on structured manuals and facilitator training, and the train-the-trainer model was discussed to support training and intervention scalability. Overall, studies reported positive effects on mental health literacy, early identification of risk, help-seeking, and professional or caregiver knowledge. Evidence for clinical outcomes was mixed however: one intervention demonstrated robust reductions in suicide attempts and severe suicidal ideation, while other programmes showed more modest or short-lived effects on youth mental health outcomes. Some studies meeting our inclusion criteria directly targeted youth, and others targeted their carers or professionals. Improvements in professional knowledge about mental health did not translate into sustained behavioural clinical change. There was a scarcity of information about the implementation and scaling considerations of the programmes evaluated. None of the interventions included had a youth engagement component.Conclusions: The findings suggest that low-intensity, structured, and context-adaptable interventions can improve community-level mental health awareness, young people’s mental health literacy and engagement with services through early support pathways. Sustained impact on mental health outcomes likely depends on implementation quality, research capacity in the intervention team, the interventions’ contextual fit, funding and referral pathways for sustainable service delivery, and integration within the broader mental health ecosystem.Keywords: youth mental health; prevention and promotion; Central and Eastern Europe; youth engagement