REVIEW article

Front. Public Health, 09 December 2022

Sec. Public Mental Health

Volume 10 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.965148

Social Return on Investment (SROI) of mental health related interventions—A scoping review

  • WHO Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Wellbeing, Public Health Wales NHS Trust, Cardiff, United Kingdom

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Abstract

Background:

There is a growing recognition of the need to effectively assess the social value of public health interventions through a wider, comprehensive approach, capturing their social, economic and environmental benefits, outcomes and impacts. Social Return on Investment (SROI) is a methodological approach which incorporates all three aspects for evaluating interventions. Mental health problems are one of the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide. This study aims to map existing evidence on the social value of mental health interventions that uses the SROI methodology.

Methods:

A scoping evidence search was conducted on Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar and relevant gray literature, published in English between January 2000 and March 2021 to identify studies which capture the SROI of mental health interventions in high- and middle-income countries. Studies that reported mental health outcomes and an SROI ratio were included in this review. The quality of included studies was assessed using Krlev's 12-item quality assessment framework.

Results:

The search identified a total of 435 records; and 42 of them with varying quality met the study inclusion criteria. Most of the included studies (93%) were non-peer reviewed publicly available reports, predominantly conducted in the United Kingdom (88%); and majority (60%) of those studies were funded by charity/non-for-profit organizations. Out of 42 included studies, 22 were targeted toward individuals experiencing mental health problems and the remainder 20 were targeted to vulnerable groups or the general population to prevent, or reduce the risk of poor mental health. Eighty-one percent of included studies were graded as high quality studies based on Krlev's 12-item quality assessment framework. The reported SROI ratios of the included studies ranged from £0.79 to £28.00 for every pound invested.

Conclusion:

This scoping review is a first of its kind to focus on SROI of mental health interventions, finding a good number of SROI studies that show a positive return on investment of the identified interventions. This review illustrates that SROI could be a useful tool and source of evidence to help inform policy and funding decisions for investment in mental health and wellbeing, as it accounts for the wider social, economic and environmental benefits of public health interventions. More SROI research in the area of public health is needed to expand the evidence base and develop further the methodology.

Introduction

Mental health problems (MHPs) are one of the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide (1, 2). One in four people experience mental health problems at some point in their lives, and many of them go undiagnosed (3). MHPs are major contributors to the global burden of disease, with the share of about 14% of years lived with disability (YLDs) and 4.9% of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2018 (4). There is huge imbalance between health burden, financing and service delivery in mental health in several countries with different income levels (5).

MHPs cause major economic consequences in terms of treatment, productivity and welfare/benefits to individuals, families and wider society (6). It is estimated that MHPs will cost $16 trillion US dollars (equivalent to £11 trillion, price year 2010) to the global economy over 20 years by 2030 (7). It is also estimated that MHPs cost the UK economy between £70–100 billion a year, about 4.5% of gross domestic product (8). The latest estimate by Deloitte showed that MHPs cost the UK employers between £33–42 billion a year (9).

Several interventions have been conducted to improve mental health and wellbeing across the life course (10). The economic evaluations of such interventions have also been well studied to see whether these interventions are financially worth-investing (1114). However, these evaluations have not sufficiently captured the wider social value and impact of the interventions. One of the common evaluation tools to capture the wider outcomes, impact and related social value could be the Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis (15).

SROI is an analysis framework to identify, measure and report the social, economic and environmental benefits generated from the interventions (15). The analysis is based on the concept of the theory of change and logic model. The foundations of SROI analysis is based on the traditional economic evaluations (16), and the value generated by the programme is relied upon the strong engagement of different levels of stakeholders who are directly or indirectly impacted by the programme (15, 17). A detailed SROI analysis process has been described elsewhere (15, 18). In brief, there are six stages of carrying out an SROI analysis. The first stage is establishing scope and identifying key stakeholders. In this stage, clear boundaries of what the analysis will cover, and who will be involved in the process and at what capacity. The second stage is related to mapping outcomes. In this stage, we will develop an impact map with the involvement of stakeholders, and the impact map should clearly visualize the relationship among inputs, outputs and outcomes. The third stage is evidencing outcomes and giving them a value. This stage involves exploring data to demonstrate whether the programme yields outcomes and then valuing them in a monetary term. In the fourth stage, the impact of the programme is established based on collected information and adjusted for other factors that could influence the overall results of the programme. The fifth stage calculates the SROI ratio by adding up all the benefits or savings and dividing it by the total investment in the programme, and performing sensitivity analysis. The final stage of the SROI analysis is related to reporting, using and embedding which involves sharing SROI findings with wider stakeholders, responding to their queries and embedding good practice and verification of the report.

Previous reviews on SROI included mental health interventions along with other public health interventions (18, 19), but to our knowledge, this scoping review is the first in its kind to exclusively focus on the SROI of mental health related interventions. The aim of this scoping review is to explore and map existing evidence on the social value of (public) mental health interventions that use the SROI method. The objectives of this review are to: (a) identify general characteristics of the SROI studies; (b) outline the reported SROI values; (c) assess methodological quality of SROI evidence; and (d) identify gaps in current literature related to the social value of mental health interventions. The findings can inform policy makers, budget holders and funding agencies about the value of investing in mental health and wellbeing to generate wider social, economic and environmental returns toward building healthier populations, communities and the planet.

Methods

This review is limited to studies which illustrate the SROI of public health interventions to improve mental health and wellbeing. The interventions could be targeted to people at any age group who were at risk of, or currently experiencing mental health problems.

Search process

PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar and relevant gray literature were searched for published records between January 2000 and March 2021. The search strategy combined the terms related to mental health and wellbeing, and Social Return on Investment. Potential relevant studies were first screened based on titles and abstracts, and the full texts were then retrieved for those likely to meet the inclusion criteria. The screened studies were independently assessed by two authors for inclusion in the review.

Study inclusion criteria

This scoping review was restricted to publication in English and included both scientific and gray literature of primary studies published between January 2000 and March 2021. Studies with any study design that reported SROI of interventions related to mental health and wellbeing, conducted in high and middle income countries were included.

Data extraction

Data was extracted from the eligible studies on population, intervention, outcomes and economic results in an independently developed data extraction form. Major economic findings of the SROI analysis and comprehensive data on total investment and realized benefits of the mental health interventions, or interventions targeted to improve mental health and wellbeing were extracted. Economic results were shown in monetary value of the return on every pound/dollar invested in the intervention.

Methodological quality assessment

A 12-point quality assessment framework developed by Krlev et al. (20) was used to assess the methodological quality of SROI studies. This quality assessment tool was used in previous reviews of the SROI studies (18, 19, 21). The quality assessment framework has proposed five quality dimensions spread over 12 different quality criteria. The quality assessment results of the included studies are presented in Table 1.

Table 1

AuthorsSROI typeSample sizeIntervention(Mental health) OutcomesTime horizonCostsSROI ratioPrice yearSensitivity analysisQuality grade
A) Interventions targeted to people experiencing mental health problems
Robinson (22)Forecast10Artist for mental health mindfulness projectImproved mental health awareness, Develop skills on mindfulness, friendship, and sense of belongings60 monthsInvestment = £685 Benefits = £4435SROI = £6.48/£1 invested2020 (£)YesHigh
Lakhotia (23)Forecast65Incredible years parenting programmeReduced child conduct problems, Family wellbeing, Reduced social and fiscal costs36 monthsInvestment =$484,196 Benefits = $1,815,855SROI = $3.75/$1 invested2017 (AUD$)YesHigh
Envoy Part-nerships (24)Evaluative569Multilingual emotional wellbeing support serviceReduced anxiety and depression, Improved mental wellbeing Improved resilience and coping36 monthsInvestment = £146,200 Benefits = £702,000SROI = £3.20/£1 invested2018 (£)NoLow
Lloyd (25)Forecast153Peer mentor serviceImproved mental health, Improved family relationships, Felt less alone and isolated12 monthsInvestment = £273,047 Benefits = £1,854,760SROI = £6.79/£1 invested2017 (£)YesHigh
McCorriston (26)Evaluative153Peer education programmeImproved mental health and wellbeing, Improved family relationship, Less visit to mental health service24 monthsInvestment = £11,151 Benefits = £314,483SROI = £28/£1 invested2017 (£)YesHigh
Dayson (27)Evaluative246Social prescribingImproved mental health and wellbeing, Improved relations with family and friends, Employment opportunities24 monthsInvestment = £349,300 Benefits = £309,795SROI = £0.79/£1 invested2015 (£)NoLow
Richardson (28)Forecast4,482Future digital inclusionImproved health and wellbeing, Better quality relationships, Reduced social isolation24 monthsInvestment = £3,500,000 Benefits = £15,000,000SROI = £4.28/£1 invested2014 (£)YesHigh
Whelan (29)Evaluative70Creative alternatives artsImproved mental wellbeing, Reduced GP visits, Increased social activities12 monthsInvestment = £40,000 Benefits = £165,000SROI = £4.12/£1 invested2015 (£)YesHigh
Marsh (30)Forecast3,271Local area coordinationReduced anxiety and depression, Improved mental wellbeing, Increased self-confidence36 monthsInvestment = £1,759,445 Benefits = £6,468,246SROI = £3.68/£1 invested2016 (£)NoLow
Biggs (31)Evaluative89The Art-Ease projectReduced anxiety and depression, Increased confidence and self-worth, Reduced drugs and alcohol problems19 monthsInvestment = £35,586 Benefits = £202,952SROI = £3.31/£1 invested2014 (£)NoLow
Weld (32)Evaluative79Healthy connection projectImproved mental wellbeing, Reduced suicidal rates, Reduced social isolation15 monthsInvestment = £48,820 Benefits = £181,894SROI = £3.73/£1 invested2013 (£)YesHigh
Shipway (33)Evaluative660Creative artsReduced anxiety and depression, Improved mental health, Increased confidence18 monthsInvestment = £489,000 Benefits = £2,497,000SROI = £5/£1 invested2013 (£)NoLow
Arvidson (34)Forecast39Community befriending programmeImproved mental health, Reduced behavioral problems,36-−360 monthsInvestment = No reported Benefits = Not reportedSROI = £3/£1 invested (3 years) SROI = 6.50/£1 invested (30 years)Not reportedNoHigh
Quality Matters (35)Evaluative36Mojo, creating male spaceImproved mental health and wellbeing, Reduced self-harming behavior, Improved relations with family13 monthsInvestment = €111,293 Benefits = €477,246SROI = €4.26/€1 invested2012 (€)YesHigh
Goodspeed (36)Evaluative1,136Substance misuse serviceImproved mental health, Reduced substance use, Improved relations with family12 monthsInvestment = £3,368,809 Benefits = £29,925,400SROI = £8/£1 invested2013 (3)YesHigh
NEF Consul-ting (37)Evaluative293Sustainable commissioning modelImproved mental health and wellbeing, Increased social networks12 monthsInvestment = £689,515 Benefits = £4,700,000SROI = £5.75/£1 invested2009 (£)YesHigh
Szplit (38)Forecast45Individual placement and supportImproved mental wellbeing, Improved relations with family, Increased confidence12 monthsInvestment = £77,822 Benefits = £526,885SROI = £5.77/£1 invested2010 (£)YesHigh
Ireland (39)Evaluative21Gardening in MindImproved mental health Strong family and social ties12 monthsInvestment = £57,906 Benefits = £117,961SROI = £2.04/£1 invested2009 (£)YesHigh
Leck (40)Evaluative83The Houghton projectImproved mental health, Become more confident Feel more positive12 monthsInvestment = £154,386 Benefits = £677,207SROI = £4.39/£1 invested2010 (£)YesHigh
GAMP (41)Forecast160Scotia clubhouse programmeImproved mental health, Wider social network, Better quality relationships60 monthsInvestment = £301,197 Benefits = £1,621,891SROI = £5.38/£1 invested2010 (£)YesHigh
Carrick (42)Evaluative104Health walks programmeReduced need of counseling service, Reduced need of medical prescription, Less need of hospital stays36 monthsInvestment = £84,500 Benefits = £969,591SROI = £11.47/£1 invested2004 (£)YesHigh
University of Worcester (43)Forecast16Nineveh ridge care farmImproved mental wellbeing, Reduced drugs and alcohol dependence, Improved confidence and quality of life12-−24 monthsInvestment = £60,500 Benefits = £205,167SROI = £2.40/£1 invested2011 (£)YesHigh
Goodspeed (44)Forecast105Workwise activitiesImproved mental wellbeing, Increased confidence12 monthsInvestment = £490,456 Benefits = £1,494,484SROI = £3/£1 invested2009 (£)YesHigh
Somers (45)Evaluative32MillRace IT projectImproved mental health12 monthsInvestment = £10,325 Benefits = £87,150SROI = £7.44/£1 invested2005 (£0YesHigh
B) Interventions targeted to vulnerable groups for mental health problems
Isard (46)Evaluative16DIAL HouseIncreased mental wellbeing, Increased quality of family relationships, Decreased drugs and/or alcohol use24 monthsInvestment = €283,986 Benefits = €1,633,718SROI = €5.75/€1 investedNot reportedYesHigh
Tokarova (47)Evaluative22Works' wellbeing programmeImproved wellbeing and mental health, Increased societal relationships36 monthsInvestment = £11,300 Benefits = £42,270SROI = £3.74/£1 invested2012 (£)YesHigh
RM Insight (48)Evaluative77Family action mental health projectMore resilient mental health, Improved confidence and network12 monthsInvestment = £40,000 Benefits = £78,000SROI = £1.94/£1 invested2011 (£)YesHigh
Deslandes (49)Forecast569Community arts in mental healthImproved mental health and wellbeing, Improved confidence36 monthsInvestment = £16,420 Benefits = £153,940SROI = £9.38/£1 invested2010 (£)YesHigh
Cawley (50)Forecast55Changing mind programmeIncreased mental wellbeing, Increased confidence, Reduced visits to healthcare60 monthsInvestment = £74,047 Benefits = 540,413SROI = £8.78/£1 invested2009 (£)YesHigh
C) Interventions targeted to promote mental health and wellbeing among general population
Bagnall (51)Evaluative77Nature conservation activitiesImproved wellbeing scores, Increased level of nature relatedness12 monthsTargeted project Investment = £98,654 Benefits = £1,162,607 Volunteering project Investment = £31,584 Benefits = £459,453Targeted project SROI = 11.78/£1 invested Volunteering SROI = £14.55/£1 investedNot reportedYesLow
Lloyd (52)Evaluative120Arfon social prescribing modelImproved mental health, Reduced loneliness and isolation, Reduced demand on GP visits18 monthsInvestment = £71,992 Benefits = £246,123SROI = £3.42/£1 invested2017 (£)YesHigh
Envoy part-nerships (53)Forecast33Selfcare social prescribingReduced depression and anxiety Reduced need for hospitalisations24 monthsInvestment = £250,000 Benefits = £470,025SROI = £6.25/£1 invested2017 (£)YesHigh
Envoy part-nerships (54)Evaluative300Community champions programmeImproved wellbeing, Improved community cohesion, Resources savings to healthcare24 monthsInvestment = £930,000 Benefits = £5,000,000SROI = £5/£1 invested2016 (£)YesHigh
Hackett (55)Evaluative75Residential treatment programmeReduced mental health admissions, Reduced substance use admissions72 monthsInvestment = £894,965 Benefits = £7,273,226SROI = £7/£1 invested2010 (CAD$)YesHigh
Lloyd (56)Evaluative172Carers outreach programmeImproved mental health, Increased confidence, Feeling less alone12 monthsInvestment = £26,215 Benefits = £152,629SROI = £5.82/£1 invested2016 (£)YesHigh
Bertotti (57)Forecast30Highway house—homeless shelter projectImproved mental health, Reduced healthcare expenses60 monthsInvestment = £94,910 Benefits = £537,761SROI = £5.67/£1 invested2014 (£)YesHigh
Warby (58)Evaluative200 HHCommunity health championsImproved mental wellbeing, Sense of community and cohesion36 monthsInvestment = £90,000 Benefits = £322,000SROI = £3.85/£1 invested2014 (£)NoLow
Whelan (59)Evaluative307Taiko drumming for healthImproved mental health and wellbeing, Improved social values12 monthsInvestment = £15,965 Benefits = £120,938SROI = £8.58/£1 invested2012 (£)YesHigh
Wright (60)Evaluative832Building social capital projectIncreased resilience and self-esteem, Increased positive functioning, Supportive relationships12 monthsInvestment = £338,718 Benefits = £929,790SROI = £2.75/£1 invested2010 (£)YesHigh
Goodspeed (61)Evaluative73Family intervention projectParents felt less anxious and depressed, Improved family and life relationships, Improved behaviors18 monthsInvestment = £304,108 Benefits = £1,300,402SROI = £4/£1 investedNot reportedYesHigh
Visram (62)Evaluative3,179Integrated health and wellbeing servicesHealth gain from emotional wellbeing18 monthsInvestment = £3,528,894 Benefits = £9,756,450SROI = £3.45/£1 invested2014 (£)NoHigh
McGrath (63)Evaluative78Circus arts trainingImproved mental wellbeing, Improved confidence, Improved socialization skills30 monthsInvestment = $550 Benefits = $3,685SROI = $7/$1 invested2016 (AUD$)NoHigh

SROI findings.

One point is given to each criterion, if it is present and zero points otherwise. A 70% benchmarking as proposed by Krlev and colleagues in 2013 was used as a “good score” to rate the study as “high quality” and “low quality” if the study scored < 70% (20).

Results

The preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guideline (64) was followed to report the findings of the scoping review.

The search hit a total of 435 records, 279 were from database searches and 156 from manual search (Figure 1). In total, 287 records were included for initial screening after duplicates were removed. Two hundred and one records were excluded from the initial title and abstract screening, leading to 86 records for full-text review and at this stage 44 records did not meet the inclusion criteria, which yielded 42 studies for inclusion in the final review.

Figure 1

Table 2 summarizes the study characteristics; and Table 1 summarizes the SROI findings.

Table 2

AuthorsYearCountryCommissioned byStudied byTarget populationStakeholdersSettingsPublication typeStudy assurance
Robinson (22)2020England, UKNon-profit organizationConsultancy serviceAffected population—young adultsYoung adults, volunteers, family members, staffCommunityReportYes
Lakhotia (23)2019New ZealandNon-profit organizationConsultancy serviceAffected population—ChildrenParents and caregivers, children, staffCommunityReportYes
Envoy Part-nership (24)2019England, UKPublic agency—Local BoroughConsultancy serviceAffected population—BAMEService users, family members/carers, NHS, Local authoritiesResidentialReportNo
Lloyd (25)2018Wales, UKPublic agency—NHS WalesNon-profit organizationAffected population—VeteransVeterans, family members, peer mentors, NHS Wales,CommunityReportYes
McCorriston (26)2018England, UKPublic agency -NHS EnglandAcademic InstitutionAffected population—AdultsFamily/friends and loved ones, peer support workers, Foundation trust, NHS/stateCommunityReportNo
Dayson (27)2017England, UKPublic agency -NHS EnglandAcademic InstitutionAffected population—AdultsService users, carers, family and friends, local organizations, NHSCommunityReportNo
Richardson (28)2016England, UKCharitable organizationNon-profit organizationAffected population—Working ageJobseekers, low income groups, disabled people, SMEs, NHSCommunityReportNo
Whelan (29)2016England, UKNon-profit organizationAcademic InstitutionAffected population—AdultsCreative alternatives attendees, NHSSchoolReportNo
Marsh (30)2016England, UKPublic Agency—Local BoroughConsultancy serviceAffected population—AdultsService users, family members and neighbors, local area coordinators, NHS, local authority, foundation trustCommunityReportYes
Biggs (31)2015England, UKCharitable organizationAcademic InstitutionAffected population—AdultsService users, project staff, NHS, local authorityCommunityReportNo
Weld (32)2015England, UKNon-profit organizationAcademic InstitutionAffected population -AdultsProject participants, project staff and volunteers, NHS, local authorityCommunityReportNo
Shipway (33)2015England, UKSocial EnterpriseConsultancy serviceAffected population—Children and AdultsService users, members, staff and volunteers, carers and families, NHSCommunityReportNo
Arvidson (34)2014England, UKCharitable organizationAcademic InstitutionAffected population—MothersService users, volunteers, NHSCommunityArticleNo
Quality Matters (35)2014IrelandNon-profit organizationNon-profit organizationAffected population—AdultsProject participants, family members, professionals, referral agents, Health Service ExecutiveCommunityReportYes
Goodspeed (36)2014England, UKPublic Agency—NHS EnglandNon-profit organizationAffected population—AdultsService users, families, communities, local authority, project staff, NHS, housing providersCommunityReportYes
NEF Consul-ting (37)2013England, UKPublic Agency—Local BoroughConsultancy serviceAffected population—AdultsService users, volunteers, community, local authorityCommunityReportNo
Szplit (38)2013Wales, UKPublic Agency—DWPNon-profit organizationAffected population—AdultsClients, families, staff, employers, NHS and StateCommunityReportYes
Ireland (39)2013England, UKCharitable organizationNon-profit organizationAffected population—AdultsService users, family carers, NHS, fundersResidentialReportYes
Leck (40)2012England, UKNon-profit organizationAcademic InstitutionAffected population-−14 years and aboveService users, family members, NHS, volunteers, employees, host farmersCommunityReportNo
GAMP (41)2011Scotland, UKCharitable organizationNon-profit organizationAffected population -AdultsClubhouse members, local authority, health board, referring agencies,CommunityReportYes
Carrick (42)2011Scotland, UKPublic Agency—Local BoroughCharityAffected population—Older peopleWalkers, walk leaders, volunteers, NHS, local authority, staffCommunityReportNo
University of Worcester (43)2011England, UKNon-profit organizationAcademic InstitutionAffected population—Children & AdultsService users, family members, school children, farmers, volunteers, placement commissioners, governmentCommunity and SchoolReportYes
Goodspeed (44)2009England, UKNon-profit organizationConsultancy serviceAffected population—AdultsTrainees, family and friends, employees, volunteers, local authority, NHS,WorkplaceReportYes
Somers (45)2006England, UKNon-profit organizationConsultancy serviceAffected population—AdultsParticipants, family members, employees, local partner, local authority, NHSWorkplaceReportNo
Isard (46)2020IrelandNon-profit organizationNon-profit organizationVulnerable population—Young adultsYoung adults, family members, service providers, local authorityResidentialReportYes
Tokarova (47)2014England, UKCharitable organizationAcademic InstitutionVulnerable population—Adults (carers)Project participants, funders, NHS, local authorityCommunityReportNo
RM Insight (48)2012England, UKCharitable organizationConsultancy serviceVulnerable population—children and adultsAdult and child participants, family members, volunteers, school, NHSCommunityReportYes
Deslandes (49)2011England, UKCharitable organizationConsultancy serviceVulnerable population—Adults (artists)Project participants, community, NHSCommunityReportYes
Cawley (50)2011England, UKPublic Agency—NHS EnglandAcademic InstitutionVulnerable population—AdultsTrainees, training providers, NHS, local authorityCommunityReportNo
Visram (62)2020England, UKPublic Agency—Local BoroughAcademic InstitutionGeneral population—Adultsproject participants, NHS, public sectorsCommunityArticleNo
McGrath (63)2019AustraliaAcademic institutionAcademic InstitutionGeneral population—ChildrenTrainees, parents, trainers, staffSchoolArticleNo
Bagnall (51)2019England, UKCharitable organizationAcademic InstitutionGeneral population—AdultsProject participants, volunteers, staff,NationalReportNo
Lloyd (52)2018Wales, UKCharitable organizationConsultancy serviceGeneral population—AdultsService users, family members, charity, NHSCommunityReportYes
Envoy Part-nership (53)2018England, UKPublic Agency—Local BoroughConsultancy serviceGeneral population—ElderlyPatients, family members, NHS, local authorityCommunityReportNo
Envoy Part-nership (54)2018England, UKPublic Agency—Local BoroughConsultancy serviceGeneral population—AdultsChampions, residents, children, local authority, stateCommunityReportNo
Hackett (55)2017CanadaCharitable organizationAcademic InstitutionGeneral population -TeenagersParticipants, parents/guardians, health systems, state (labor force)SchoolReportNo
Lloyd (56)2016Wales, UKCharitable organizationConsultancy serviceGeneral population—ParentsParents, children, NHS, carers outreach, child service provider,CommunityReportNo
Bertotti (57)2015England, UKCharitable organizationAcademic InstitutionGeneral population—Homeless peopleservice users, service provider, local authority, NHS, stateResidentialReportNo
Warby (58)2014England, UKCharitable organizationConsultancy serviceGeneral population—Women and ChildrenChampions, residents, children, local authority, stateResidentialReportNo
Whelan (59)2013England, UKPublic Agency—Local BoroughAcademic InstitutionGeneral population—Children and adultsDrummers, volunteers, project management teamSchool and day centerReportNo
Wright (60)2012England, UKPublic Agency—Local BoroughConsultancy serviceGeneral population—AdultsService users, family members and carers, volunteersCommunityReportNo
Goodspeed (61)2010England, UKCharitable organizationConsultancy serviceGeneral population—Parents and childrenChildren and young people, family and carers, police, NHS, local authoritiesCommunityReportYes

Study characteristics.

Study characteristics

Most of the included studies (93%) were non-peer reviewed publicly available reports, predominantly conducted in the UK (88%). The majority (60%) of the studies were funded by either charity or non-for-profit organizations, while 36% from NHS and local government agencies. We also found that the majority (74%) of the studies were conducted by either private consultancy firms or academia. Except two (44, 45), all other studies were conducted 2010 onwards.

More than two-third of the studies were conducted at the community level. In 57% of the studies, the direct beneficiaries were people experiencing some form of existing mental health problems. Majority of the studies in the review included direct beneficiaries from specific age groups (children, teenagers, youth, adults, working age, elderly). Some studies included specific population groups such as veterans, Black and Ethnic Minorities, mothers, carers, artists, parents, and homeless people. In addition to service users or direct beneficiaries, the studies included different stakeholders, such as volunteers, family members/friends, service providers, schools, local authorities, local organizations, NHS/health systems, other public services, referral agencies, charities, commissioners/funding agencies, national government. These SROI studies ranged in sample size from as low as 10 (22) to as high as 4,482 (28).

The studies evaluated SROI of different interventions related to mental health and wellbeing, including: arts for mental health (22, 29, 31, 33, 49, 63); workplace intervention (38, 44, 45, 47); farm or gardening activities (39, 40, 43); social prescribing (27, 52, 53); peer support (25, 26, 41); family support (23, 48, 61); residential interventions (46, 55, 57); awareness/training (32, 42, 50); community health champions (54, 58); ethnicity or culture—focused activities (24, 59); treatment/therapy (36, 62); digital inclusion (28); creating male space (35); nature conservation activities (51) and other community level activities (30, 34, 37, 56, 60).

Quality assessment: Out of 42 studies, 81% of the studies were considered as being high quality studies (Table 1). It was found that about 40% of the studies were submitted to and approved by the Social Value International for assurance (Table 2). Furthermore, we also found that 79% of the studies conducted sensitivity analyses to provide robustness of the SROI results (Table 1).

SROI results

In two-thirds of the studies, the SROI analyses were evaluative, with the remainder being forecast analyses. The evaluation time frame ranged from 1–6 years, with an exception of up to 30 years which evaluated the SROI of a community befriending programme to prevent post-natal depression (34).

Though there was wide variation in methodological quality and intervention types, most studies clearly illustrate the positive SROI of the interventions aimed at reducing mental health problems, and/or improving mental health and wellbeing. There is significant variation of the SROI ratio between studies—ranging from £0.79 (27) to £28 (26) for every pound invested. The SROI findings are further categorized on the basis of the mental health status/risk of the target population of the included studies. The SROI ratios of the interventions which were targeted to people who were experiencing mental health problems ranged from £0.79 to 28 for every £1 invested in the intervention. The interventions which were targeted to vulnerable/risky populations for mental health problems showed the SROI ratios that were ranged from £1.94 to 9.38 for every £1 invested. Similarly, the interventions to promote mental health and wellbeing of the general populations showed the SROI ratios that were ranged from £2.75 to 14.55 for every £1 invested in the intervention.

Twelve months was the lowest analysis time horizon where family action mental health project (48) yielded the lowest SROI of £1.94 for every pound invested, and the nature conservation activities of Wildlife Trust (51) yielded the highest SROI ratio of £14.55 for every pound invested. Thirty-year was the highest/longest SROI forecast analysis time horizon where an SROI of a community befriending programme to the families affected by post-natal depression (34) was estimated with a benefit of £6.50 for every pound invested. The detailed SROI findings of a review is presented in Table 1.

Discussion

This scoping review aims to explore the application of the SROI method to evaluate (public) mental health interventions. Compared to previous reviews on the SROI of public health interventions, which also included studies on the SROI of mental health interventions (18, 19), our scoping review incorporates studies with mental health intervention or studies that included mental health and/or wellbeing outcomes while evaluating social value of the intervention. The application of SROI to evaluate the wider social benefits of the mental health interventions could be used to inform policy decisions and investment prioritization in mental and wider public health.

Our review has found a good number of published reports that have shown a sizeable SROI of interventions addressing/preventing mental health issues or improving mental health and wellbeing. Overall, 42 studies with varying methodological quality were included in this review. The SROI ratios of the included studies ranged from £0.79 to 28 for every pound invested. Eighty-one percent of the studies were identified as high quality, using the Krlev's 12-item quality assessment framework (20), which allows studies for comparisons with relevant previous SROI reviews (18, 19). Our review findings are consistent with previous review findings related to SORI of mental health interventions.

The SROI method is being increasingly used to evaluate the wider impact and social value of various enterprises (65) as well as different programmes in health sectors (18) for the past two decades. The evaluation of public health interventions using a Social Value approach and SROI method have rapidly increased after 2010 in the health sector, especially by UK public and not-for-profit organizations. This might be due to the development of the guideline to SROI in 2009 (66) and the subsequent endorsement of the Public Service (Social Value) Act 2012 (67). However, there is little interest or motivation from evaluators and researchers to publish such evidence in peer-reviewed journals. This may partly be due to the introduction of SROI to evaluate the social value of the programmes delivered through not-for-profit or third sector organizations where publishing findings in academic journals may not be the priority; or partly due to potential “methodological fallacy” of the SROI approach perceived by the academic scholars.

The study interventions identified in this review were targeted either to reduce or prevent mental health problems, or to promote mental health and wellbeing, but interestingly none of the included SROI studies evaluated clinical treatment of mental health problems. We also found that studies vary widely in terms of types of interventions used, ranging from creative arts to nature conservation activities. The review showed considerable variation in the SROI findings according to mental health risk status of the target population in the included studies, but none of the studies showed negative SROI results. This implies that interventions that aimed to reduce/prevent mental health problems or promote mental health and wellbeing could have potential to yield positive Social Return on Investment.

This review also highlights the relevance of the SROI method to improve the measurement, valuation and reporting of the influence of mental health and wellbeing related intervention(s) to the wider society, economy and the planet, compared to traditional economic evaluations (18).

There is growing interest and drive from government and non-profit organizations to assess and maximize the value for money, and social value, of the public health interventions (62). Our review shows good SROI values of public health interventions for the prevention or reduction of mental health problems and promotion of mental health and wellbeing. These findings provide substantial evidence and a helpful insight related to a number of mental health interventions, to support policy makers and budget holders when taking decisions, evaluating programmes and prioritizing funding and investment in mental and wider public health and wellbeing.

Study limitations

Our review has several limitations. Only English language studies were included, while there might be studies conducted in other languages. We only included published SROI studies; there could be some studies which have not been published in the databases and sources searched. The existing Krlev's 12-item quality assessment framework has not been updated; some of the quality criteria have been subjective and difficult to judge, which may affect the reliability of the study results. We, however, used the quality criteria to the best of our ability to consistently apply throughout the included studies. There has been a high variability in the way the included studies have been conducted, which has limited the capacity to collate or draw summary/collective findings in the review. Due to large heterogeneity in sample size, intervention methods and benefit periods of the SROI ratios, it has not been possible to quantitatively synthesize the SROI results.

Gaps for further research

Our review has aimed to explore the existing evidence on SROI of mental health related interventions, but has not assessed other existing methods that might be also used to assess the value of mental health related interventions. Further research is needed to understand whether other existing methods could provide robust evidence in terms of identifying, measuring and reporting of the wider benefits/outcomes, impact and social value of interventions related to mental health and wellbeing. Current focus of the SROI data collection process is based on input/output of the intervention, but it is necessary to focus more on impact-oriented measures to capture their true value in the mid/long-term. There is also a need to publish more studies from SROI research work in the academic (peer reviewed) journals to attract wider academic audiences to explore and develop further this method and its application venues. More SROI research in the area of public health is needed to expand the evidence base and better inform investment prioritization, commissioning/funding decisions and programme improvement.

Statements

Author contributions

RK designed a scoping review, developed search strategies, assessed studies for inclusion, analysis, and drafting an initial manuscript. AS involved in the assessment of studies for inclusion. RK, AS, KA, RM, and MD subsequently revised and approved the final manuscript. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

References

Summary

Keywords

review, SROI, interventions, mental health and wellbeing, social value

Citation

Kadel R, Stielke A, Ashton K, Masters R and Dyakova M (2022) Social Return on Investment (SROI) of mental health related interventions—A scoping review. Front. Public Health 10:965148. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.965148

Received

09 June 2022

Accepted

28 November 2022

Published

09 December 2022

Volume

10 - 2022

Edited by

Shen Liu, Anhui Agricultural University, China

Reviewed by

Natasa Krsto Rancic, University of Niš, Serbia; Simon Grima, University of Malta, Malta

Updates

Copyright

*Correspondence: Rajendra Kadel

This article was submitted to Public Mental Health, a section of the journal Frontiers in Public Health

Disclaimer

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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