Psychoeducation in the management of menopause symptoms for women living with a serious mental illness: A scoping review

Importance and Objective: People living with a serious mental illness (SMI) may require additional management during the menopause transition and may have specific education needs regarding menopause. The aim of this scoping review was to assess the literature on psychoeducation programs that have been developed to address the menopause knowledge needs of people living with a mental illness. Methods: A scoping review of the literature was conducted in November 2024, focussing on psychoeducation programs for menopause developed for women living with a SMI using PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, and Google Scholar using the "Population, Concept, and Context"framework. The population considered was individuals with SMI, mental illness, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcohol use, substance use, and eating disorders. Five studies were found that utilized psychoeducation in the context of cognitive behavior therapy delivered as a treatment of either depression or menopause symptoms. Participants in these studies included women living with depression or bipolar disorder. No studies were identified that delivered any psychoeducation intervention for the majority of conditions assessed. Population groups with no research included schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcohol use, substance use, and eating disorders. Discussion and Conclusion: More research is needed to further explore how people living with a mental illness may be best prepared for the menopause transition considering both menopause symptoms and psychiatric symptoms. The development and assessment of psychoeducation programs and materials addressing individual needs should be further considered for those living with a mental illness.