Tehran University of Medical Sciences Nursing Practice Today 2383-1154 0 0 2026 09 01 5156 5156 EN Nor Nadiya Ab Ghani Department of Nursing, SEGi College Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Aniawanis Makhtar Department of Special Care Nursing, Kulliyyah of Nursing, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Pahang, Malaysia Sharifah Munirah Syed Elias Department of Special Care Nursing, Kulliyyah of Nursing, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia Norfadzilah Ahmad Department of Professional Nursing Studies, Kulliyyah of Nursing, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, Pahang, Malaysia Norliza Suut Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Sarawak, Malaysia 2026 05 11 2026 07 27 Background & Aim: Family caregivers of stroke survivors often assume complex responsibilities with limited preparation, while evidence on how best to support them remains fragmented. This review aimed to map evidence on family caregiver preparedness in stroke care and use the findings to develop a conceptual framework. Methods & Materials: A scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported according to guidance for scoping reviews. MEDLINE via Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect were searched for peer-reviewed English-language studies published from 2014 to 2025. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies examining preparedness, related frameworks, tools, or interventions were included. Studies involving paid caregivers, paediatric stroke, or psychosocial outcomes without reference to preparedness were excluded. Findings were synthesised descriptively and thematically. Results: Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Four examined frameworks, assessment tools, or interventions, and 18 reported preparedness levels and associated factors. Preparedness was generally low to moderate. Three contextual domains shaped caregiving demands: stroke survivor clinical characteristics, caregiving roles and responsibilities, and family caregiver characteristics. Psychosocial and emotional factors and social and supportive resources moderated the relationship between demands and preparedness. These domains were integrated into a framework describing preparedness as a changing balance between caregiving demands and available resources across the stroke care continuum. Conclusion: Family caregiver preparedness is multidimensional and changes over time. The proposed framework may support assessment, follow-up, and intervention design, but requires empirical and stakeholder validation. https://npt.tums.ac.ir/index.php/npt/article/view/5156