Background Burn injuries remain one of the most devastating forms of trauma in children, leading not only to physical morbidity but also profound and lasting psychosocial challenges. While acute burn management has been extensively studied, there is a paucity of synthesized evidence on the long-term psychosocial sequelae and effective multidisciplinary
rehabilitation strategies in the pediatric population. Objectives To systematically review the available evidence on (۱)
psychosocial outcomes following pediatric burn injuries, and (۲)
rehabilitation approaches aiming to improve quality of life, social reintegration, and emotional well-being in affected children. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL from inception to August ۲۰۲۵. Inclusion criteria: studies involving patients ۱۸ years old with burn injuries, reporting
psychosocial outcomes _x۰۰۰۲_۶ months post-injury, and/or describing structured
rehabilitation interventions. Exclusion criteria: animal studies, case reports, and studies without psychosocial outcome measures. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment (Cochrane RoB ۲, ROBINS-I) were performed independently by two reviewers. A narrative synthesis was undertaken; meta-analysis was conducted when data homogeneity allowed. Results Of ۱,۲۳۷ identified records, ۲۶ studies met inclusion criteria (n=۳,۴۸۲ children). Common long-term outcomes included anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, body image disturbance, and reduced school participation. Multidisciplinary
rehabilitation programs- particularly those integrating psychological counseling, peer-support groups, and school reintegration plans-were associated with significant improvement in psychosocial scores (standardized mean difference range: ۰.۳۵-۰.۷۸, p ۰.۰۵). Heterogeneity in outcome measures (I_x۰۰۰۲_۵: ۶۲-۷۹%) limited pooling in some domains. Evidence gaps were identified in low- and middle- income country (LMIC) settings and in trials with _x۰۰۰۲_۶ years follow-up. Conclusions Pediatric burn injuries have substantial long-term psychosocial consequences. Structured, multi-component
rehabilitation programs show promise in improving well-being and facilitating reintegration, but high-quality longitudinal RCTs are lacking ۷especially in resource-limited contexts. Addressing these gaps is crucial for developing culturally sensitive, sustainable interventions.
