Psychosocial Experience, Impacts and Management of Fatigue in Young People With Inflammatory Bowel Disease—A Systematic Review

Introduction Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic conditions frequently accompanied by fatigue. Understanding how young people with IBD experience fatigue, and how psychosocial factors shape its onset, maintenance and management, is essential during this critical developmental period to guide the design of effective, age‐appropriate support strategies. Methods This mixed‐methods systematic review synthesised evidence on fatigue in children and young adults with IBD. Eligibility criteria were defined using the SPIDER framework. Peer‐reviewed primary studies involving participants aged ≤ 21 years and examining the conceptualisation, measurement, lived experience, psychosocial correlates or management of fatigue were included. Study quality was assessed by two reviewers using the mixed methods appraisal tool with independent dual‐review and consensus procedures. Overall methodological quality varied across designs, and findings were interpreted in light of identified limitations in sampling, reporting and methodological rigour. Results Thirty‐six studies from 10 databases met eligibility criteria. Narrative synthesis identified a lack of a shared definition of fatigue, substantial variability in measurement approaches and reliance on predominantly unidimensional adult‐focused tools. Limited research explored lived experience or psychosocial influences in depth. No studies evaluated fatigue‐specific interventions, and evidence for indirect behavioural or lifestyle interventions was weak. Conclusions It is recommended that a multidimensional conceptualisation of fatigue with standardised developmentally appropriate measurement is adopted, alongside research into psychosocial factors and more in depth qualitative exploration of how young people perceive, interpret and respond to fatigue, to inform theory‐driven interventions. Trial Registration This review was registered on the International prospective register of systematic reviews database (PROSPERO 2024 CRD42024503531) on 17th January 2024. The registered protocol can be viewed on the PRISMA website ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024503531 ).