Enhancing Family Communication in Families Where a Parent has a Mental Illness

Yates, Scott; Gatsou, Lina

doi:10.7191/parentandfamily.1007

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Interventions addressing family system and subsystem interactions (e.g. Beardslee, Gladstone, Wright, & Forbes, 2007; Margolis & Fernandes, 2017; Wolpert, Hoffman, Martin, Fagin, & Cookin, 2015; Yates & Lina, 2017) are indicated by meta‐analytic evidence as particularly effective (Thanhauser, Lemmer, de Girolamo, & Christiansen, 2017). Despite this, adult mental health interventions tend to be individually focused.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Family understanding and communication about an adult relative’s mental health problem: A systematic narrative review

Gammage

Nolte

2020

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

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Accessible summary What is known on the subject? Adults who support an adult family member with a severe and enduring mental health problem often experience carer burden. Over time, this often negatively affects their mental and physical health and social well‐being. Understanding and communicating about mental health problems in families can help to improve resilience and coping among both adults and children. What does this paper add to existing knowledge? We conducted a review of studies looking at how adult relatives understand and communicate about an adult family member's mental health problem. The findings highlight that how relatives make sense of MHP is related to historical family relationships, their mental health literacy and whether they see themselves as a “carer” or not. The findings also show that little research to date has explored how adult relatives talk with children about their parent's difficulties, and how the adults’ understanding might affect what children learn about the MHP. What are the implications for practice? There is a research gap to be addressed regarding family communication with children about parental mental health problems. This knowledge gap likely impacts family‐focused mental health nursing and therapy provision. Mental health nursing, therapeutic and support workers and advocates are ideally positioned to assist relatives with improving their mental health literacy and confidence communicating about mental health, and to promote inclusion of relatives and children in interventions. Abstract IntroductionRelatives are profoundly affected by an adult family member's severe and enduring mental health problem (MHP). The burdens of caring impact on adult relatives’ emotional, physical and social well‐being. How relatives make meaning and communicate about the MHP is thought to affect family talk about mental health, and this can impact family coping and well‐being. AimNo review has yet drawn together research about how adult relatives of people with severe and enduring MHP make meaning and communicate about their relatives’ difficulties. We aimed to address this gap. MethodWe conducted a systematic review of peer‐reviewed primary research. SCOPUS, PubMed, Psychnet, SCIE, Cochrane and CINAHL+ databases were searched. ResultsNineteen papers qualified for inclusion. Findings are organized under four themes: making meaning about the MHP and affected individual; conceptualizing the self in the presence of the MHP; meaning‐making processes underlying relatives’ well‐being outcomes; and relatives’ perspectives on family talk about the MHP. DiscussionHistorical relationships, caregiver identity and mental health literacy moderate relatives’ understanding and talk about the MHP. Implications for practicePsychoeducation and communication support for relatives should be provided by mental health practitioners. Future research should address familial communication about MHP, including with children.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Family understanding and communication about an adult relative’s mental health problem: A systematic narrative review

Gammage

Nolte

2020

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

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“…The research based on the importance of communication where a parent experiences MHPs has underpinned the development of psychoeducational, peer support, and family‐focused interventions based around improving family communication (Beardslee, 2002; Grové et al, 2015; Hargreaves et al, 2008; Yates & Lina, 2017). Meta‐analysis suggests that joint intervention attending to family subsystems is most effective (Thanhäuser et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Talking and making meaning about parental mental health problems: The role of children's family caregivers

Gammage,

Nolte

2023

J Marital Family Therapy

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When a parent is less able to meet their children's needs due to a severe and enduring mental health problem (MHP), other adult family members often help with childcare. We present a Grounded Theory of how children's family caregivers construct meaning about the parental MHP and communicate about it with children. Nineteen caregivers participated in qualitative interviews. Each supported at least one related child aged 4–17 years with a parent with MHPs. We found that caregivers engaged in a Core Social Process of providing protection in uncertainty. This comprised three categories as follows: shaping the interactional space, communicating through the developmental process, and engendering a sense of safety. Caregivers appeared to act from a Key Social Positioning of developing a caregiver identity. The findings implicate family‐focused provision of mental health and social care. Clinical recommendations are made for whole‐family interventions and the role of marital and family therapists.

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“…A method of constant comparison was carried out during data analysis (Whittemore & Knafl 2005). Our main findings were categorized as: (i) nurses' views on PMI; and (ii) nurses' practices on PMI.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An integrative review methodology was used in this research. The Whittemore and Knafl (2005) approach was adopted. It allows to summarize empirical and theoretical literature, including different methodologies to ensure diversity.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nurses’ views and practices on parental mental illness: An integrative review

Vives-Espelta

Burjalés-Martí

Ferré‐Grau

2021

Int J Mental Health Nurs

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When a parent has a mental health problem, family members can be affected by it. Nursing professionals can provide care for the whole family, including children. Nurses can support the parental role of parents with mental illness. This integrative review aimed at the following: To identify and to synthesize the views and practices of nurses on parental mental illness (PMI). An integrative review methodology was employed, following PRISMA guidelines. Theoretical and empirical literature was included. Twenty-three articles were obtained to be analysed, using the Whittemore and Knafl approach. A lack of knowledge about nurses' views and practices on PMI was found. Especially, in some demographic areas such as Mediterranean countries and Central and South America. Different issues which influence how nurses perceive PMI were identified: subjective meaning of family concept, personal experience of being parent, and perceptions of mental illness, among others. The main findings on nurses' practices were as follows: guidelines to implement family-focused practices, knowledge, and skills; therapeutic relationship; and teamwork and interagency communication; among others. These issues are intimately related. They could act as enablers or barriers to support parental role of parents with mental illness. Adequate guidelines and policies are necessary to support parents with mental illness and their families. There is a need to include knowledge about PMI and family-focused approach in nursing education curricula. Training could include reflection on nurses' experiences and personal values to become aware of how these can affect their interventions and practices.

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Enhancing Family Communication in Families Where a Parent has a Mental Illness

Cited by 5 publications

References 12 publications

Family understanding and communication about an adult relative’s mental health problem: A systematic narrative review

Family understanding and communication about an adult relative’s mental health problem: A systematic narrative review

Talking and making meaning about parental mental health problems: The role of children's family caregivers

Nurses’ views and practices on parental mental illness: An integrative review

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