Children and parents with psychosis—Balancing between relational attunement and protection from parental illness

Boström, Petra; Strand, Jennifer

doi:10.1111/jcap.12302

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Children are likely to report positive parenting experiences with the parent without mental illness compared to living with parent with mental illness. This is not surprising as majority of the studies about parenting with mental illness shows the potential for impaired parenting, especially with severe illness (Boström & Strand, 2021;Campbell & Poon, 2020). Consequently, children are able to tell the differences in their family situation between the different living arrangements of their parents.…”

Section: Constructing the 'Parent Paradox'mentioning

confidence: 98%

Living with parental mental illness is like a roller coaster: Reflections on children's lifeworld in the family setting

Cudjoe

Tam

Effah³

et al. 2022

Journal of Clinical Nursing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aims and objectives To explore what it is like for children in the family setting to live with parental mental illness. Background There are reported risks of negative social and behavioural outcomes among children living with parental mental illness such as poor school performance, isolation and poor mental health. There is yet more to know about how children's interactions with significant members of the family shape their experiences. Design A phenomenological design following Husserl's concepts of lifeworld and inter‐subjectivity was adapted for the study. Method Twenty‐one children (ages 10–17) who lived with a parent with mental illness were interviewed. The data were analysed to attain the essential features of the phenomenon. The study followed the COREQ checklist for qualitative studies. Findings The essence of the phenomenon ‘living with parental mental illness’ in the family setting comprises strain, sadness and some happy moments. Living with parental mental illness can produce unpredictable life situations for children as relationships and interactions in the family setting can be chaotic and confusing. The ups and downs define their lifeworld as a roller coaster. Strenuous family environment, sibling interaction, navigating separate living arrangements and there are good days were specific themes that clarified the children's lives as a roller coaster. Conclusion A concept called the ‘parent paradox’ is coined to reflect how children are torn between what their living situation looks like comparing the parent with mental illness and the other without mental illness. The paradox is founded on children's loyalty towards their parents. Relevance to clinical practice To break the unhealthy cycle created by the parent paradox, mental health nurses should ensure that children are well informed about the parent's mental condition including information about treatment procedures and recovery. Child's psychological distress may be reduced when they are informed.

show abstract

Section: Constructing the 'Parent Paradox'mentioning

confidence: 98%

Living with parental mental illness is like a roller coaster: Reflections on children's lifeworld in the family setting

Cudjoe

Tam

Effah³

et al. 2022

Journal of Clinical Nursing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is, therefore, often necessary for a family member to notice change in behaviour, and without adequate mental health knowledge, it may be more difficult for families to identify changes in their relative and help them access treatment (Oluwoye et al, 2020). The children in this study knew very little about their parent's experiences of psychosis, reflecting the findings of other qualitative work with children of parents with psychosis (Boström & Strand, 2021) and other mental health difficulties (Cudjoe & Chiu, 2020). Parents were reluctant to talk to their children about their psychotic episode(s), and thought that their children would not understand if they did try to explain.…”

Section: Key Findingsmentioning

confidence: 86%

A family perspective on parental psychosis: An interpretative phenomenological analysis study

2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objectives While one third of people with a psychotic disorder are a parent, there has been little research to date examining the consequences of this from a whole family perspective. This study investigates families where a parent has experienced an episode of psychosis and compares and contrasts the family members' perspectives. Design This study was rooted in phenomenology and data were derived from in‐depth semi‐structured interviews. Methods Parents with a psychotic disorder who had a child aged between 3 and 11 in a UK NHS Trust were invited to take part in the study. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with these parents, with their child (if they were between the ages of 8 and 11), and with their partner or another close family member. Data were analysed using multiperspectival interpretive phenomenological analysis (m‐IPA). Results Thirteen participants took part comprising of five parents, four children, three partners and one grandmother. Four themes were developed using m‐IPA: (1) Parental psychosis impacts the whole family, (2) Psychosis and my role as a parent, (3) Secrecy and concealment surrounding parental psychosis, and (4) Pressures and vulnerabilities within the family system. Conclusion Psychosis had a negative impact on all family members and secrecy existed between family members. The children in particular only had partial information about their parent's mental illness, which left them worried and confused. More work is needed to support these families to explain psychosis to the children.

show abstract

“…During this period in their lives, they probably needed professional support because they began to be more aware of the mental illness of their parents or siblings, its implications for the family environment, and their role as potential caregivers. Boström and Strand (2021) , in a qualitative study, have suggested that the children of people with psychosis may have an unclear picture of their parents’ illness during childhood and early adolescence (8- to 15-year-old), even if they recall having been informed of the illness by their parents or by mental health services. It seems that parents often avoid discussing details of their mental illness with their children to protect them from the associated stigma.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical and Functional Differences Between Mexican Youth at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis and With Familial High Risk

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Few studies have explored the differences in clinical psychopathology between youth at high risk for psychosis and those at familial high risk for psychosis. This study seeks to describe and compare the sociodemographic, clinical, and functional characteristics of At-Risk Mental State (ARMS) for psychosis youth and those with a first- or second-degree relative with psychosis (Familial High-Risk: FHR) in a Mexican sample. Twenty-one ARMS individuals and 21 with FHR were evaluated for sociodemographic characteristics, psychopathological symptoms, and functional impairment. ARMS individuals were significantly younger, had fewer years of schooling, and were more likely to be male than those in the FHR group. Groups did not differ as regards marital status or occupation. The ARMS group showed greater severity of prodromal symptoms, schizotypal personality traits, and general psychopathology than the FHR group. In addition, they reported more premorbid adjustment deficit from early adolescence than the FHR group. Current overall social and role functioning was significantly lower in the ARMS group. Findings are consistent with ARMS studies from other countries. First- or second-degree relatives of patients with psychosis should be considered a vulnerable group as they display several symptoms of general psychopathology and may experience social adjustment problems in their adult lives. The lack of early detection and intervention psychosis programs in Mexico underlines the need to prioritize the development of preventive strategies to help close the care gap.

show abstract

Children and parents with psychosis—Balancing between relational attunement and protection from parental illness

Cited by 11 publications

References 33 publications

Living with parental mental illness is like a roller coaster: Reflections on children's lifeworld in the family setting

Living with parental mental illness is like a roller coaster: Reflections on children's lifeworld in the family setting

A family perspective on parental psychosis: An interpretative phenomenological analysis study

Clinical and Functional Differences Between Mexican Youth at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis and With Familial High Risk

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About