A Systematic Literature Review of Neglected Adolescents through an Ecological Perspective

The phenomenon of neglected adolescents is more common than people thought both nationally and internationally. Family environment and adolescents own ecological system can affect their mental health and learning efficiency. Neglected adolescents encounter social-emotional challenges, yet prior research often overlooks the ecological factors influencing their development. Few studies systematically integrate social, family, and school factors to comprehensively understand their outcomes. This systematic literature review assesses research on the social-emotional development of neglected adolescents from an ecological perspective. Through a database search for literature on neglected adolescents, researchers identified 426 articles which, through a systematic screening process, they reduced to 21 studies focusing specifically on adolescents who have experienced neglect and associated social withdrawal in the United States. Subsequent content analyses of these 21 studies were conducted to examine trends and patterns in the literature. Investigators identified a notable gap in the exploration of neglected adolescents mesosystems finding that limited research has explored the connections between home and school. This review underscores the need for future research incorporating this perspective to offer a more comprehensive understanding of neglected adolescents' social-emotional outcomes.