DETERMINANTS OF WELL- -BEING IN TRANSNATIONAL FAMILIES: A SCOPING REVIEW OF THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT
DETERMINANTS OF WELL- -BEING IN TRANSNATIONAL FAMILIES: A SCOPING REVIEW OF THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT

Summary/Abstract: Transnational families (TNFs) are a growing demographic in Europe, yet no scoping review has systematically mapped the multilevel determinants shaping their well-being across Europe's diverse welfare regimes. This review addresses that gap. A systematic search of Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO identified 42 peer-reviewed articles published in English (2014–2024) focusing on TNFs in Europe and addressing well-being. Guided by the transnational ecological systems framework, thematic analysis organised findings into four levels from proximal to distal: (1) Individual-level determinants, (2) Family & community-level determinants, (3) Institutional & policy-level determinants and (4) Societal & structural determinants. Findings demonstrate that well-being in TNFs emerges from the transaction between individual agency and structural environments, filtered through diverse European welfare regimes. These findings call for a shift from nationally centred service models towards transnational competence in social work practice and inclusive policies recognising cross- -border caregiving. Future research should prioritise participatory approaches and address the geographical bias towards Western and Northern European contexts.

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