Background: Active
family involvement in the care of
hospitalized children is increasingly recognized as a vital factor that improves clinical outcomes, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. This partnership supports parents, reduces their stress, and creates a positive healing environment. Objective: This systematic review examines how family participation impacts the physical health, psychological well-being, and
quality of life of hospitalized children. Methods: We conducted a thorough search across major scientific databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and ProQuest from ۲۰۱۵ to ۲۰۲۵. Using keywords such as "family-centered care," "family involvement," "quality of life," "hospitalized children," and "pediatric nursing," we gathered relevant original research articles in English that examined the effects of family participation in care on children aged ۰ to ۱۸ years. Non-research articles and animal studies were excluded. From an initial pool of approximately ۱,۲۰۰ articles, after removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, we reviewed ۴۰۰ full-text articles, ۲۹۰ studies were included in the final analysis. Data were extracted focusing on physical and psychological health outcomes, parental stress, family satisfaction, length of hospital stay, and quality of life, and analyzed descriptively. Results: Findings consistently show that
family involvement leads to faster recovery, shorter hospital stays, and improved well-being in children. Parents experienced reduced anxiety and greater caregiving confidence. Strong communication between families and healthcare teams played a crucial role. Barriers included some healthcare staff's reluctance and lack of institutional support, which can be addressed through education and policy changes. Conclusion: Family involvement is an effective approach to enhance health outcomes and
quality of life for hospitalized children. Healthcare systems should widely adopt
family-centered care models to benefit both patients and their families.
