Causal Attributions and Parent‐Child Relationships in a Self‐Help Group for Families of the Mentally III¹

Abstract

A study of a local chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally 111 (NAMI) suggests that parents think about the causes of their offsprings' psychiatric disabilities in terms of psychogenic, organic and moral attributions. Comparisons of retrospective and current self‐reports suggest that parents' attributional processes were influenced by their organizational participation. Comparatively stronger endorsement of the organic attribution (that biochemical illness is a primary causal factor) and comparatively weaker endorsement of the psychogenic attribution (that deficits in parenting are a primary causal factor) were associated with participation. Increased comfort in parent‐child relationships was also associated with participation. It was speculated that these cognitive and behavioral changes were mediated by learning a comprehensive schema of information about schizophrenia that included information about causes, symptoms and methods of treatment.

Increasing Mexican American attendance of support groups for parents of the mentally ill: Organizational and psychological factors

“…In contrast, data from Anglo-American parents collected as part of this study, but reported elsewhere (Medvene et al, 1994), included a significant correlation between these two items (r = .79, p < .Owl) and a Cronbach's alpha of .59 for the subscale. Additionally, in their study of NAMI group members, all of whom were Anglo Americans, Medvene and Krauss (1989) reported a Cronbach's alpha of .74 for the organic subscale.…”

“…These patients were similar, demographically, to the disabled family members of NAMI participants (Jensen, 1991;Medvene & Krauss, 1989). The mean age at onset of illness was 26 years, and, on average, the majority of psychiatrically disabled sons/daughters had been hospitalized two and one half times.…”

“…Parents also responded to 25 closed-ended questionnaire items that were a modification of an earlier instrument, the Mental Health Beliefs scale (Krauss, 1989;Medvene & Krauss, 1989). The scale measured the strength of parents' endorsements of organic, psychogenic, stress, and moral attributions.…”

“…Seventyfour percent of the parents were first generation (born in Mexico), 23% were second generation (born in U.S., either parent born in Mexico) and 3% were fourth generation (subject and parents born in U.S., one grandparent born in Mexico). These parents resembled the typical NAMI member only in terms of gender and age; they had significantly less income and lower levels of educational achievement (Jensen, 1991;Medvene & Krauss, 1989;Sommers, Williams, & Williams, 1984).…”

“…The outcome studies of participation in local AM1 groups report benefits for parents such as increased information about coping with practical problems (e.g., recognizing signs of decompensation), more comfortable interactions with mentally ill children, and reduced guilt (Medvene & Krauss, 1989; Norton, Wandersman, & Goldman, 1993). To date there have not been any outcome studies that have included comparison groups.…”