Family identity and severe mental illness: A thematic synthesis of qualitative studies

Abstract

There is a growing amount of research showing that a shared social identity and the sense of belonging to a family have a potential effect on health. However, little is known about the effects of severe mental illness on family identity. The authors carried out this thematic synthesis based on a systematic review of literature on family narratives of severe mental illness and family identity. The main findings indicate that in many families (i) their identity—as a shared social identity—undergoes a transformation process by which the identity aspects of being a family are reinforced; (ii) family members often take on a caring role as their main family role; and finally, (iii) a cultural component shapes this transformation process. The authors describe implications for research and application in the mental health field. All in all, family identity is transformed by the experience of severe mental illness.

Family identification facilitates coping with financial stress: A social identity approach to family financial resilience

“…In terms of economic deprivation, family identity has been found to be central to coping with experiences of stigma and discrimination amongst those living in poverty (Mickelson & Williams, 2008). In addition, within families a shared sense of obligation and loyalty connects the fate of different family members, such that individual members can take 10 on more and/or specific responsibilities in response to a crisis (Acero et al, 2017). Early research on financial resilience had found adaptability, cohesion, and collective problemsolving in families (Voydanoff, 1988), including realignment of work effort within the family, use of the local informal bartering economy, and use of recreational crafts and hobbies to derive income.…”

Loneliness in Older People and COVID-19: Applying the Social Identity Approach to Digital Intervention Design

“…The comfort and reassurance provided by families is also reflected the association between family identification and lower paranoid ideation (Sani et al, 2017). The ability of families to provide stress-reducing resources is especially pronounced in more family-oriented cultures (Acero et al, 2017). The way in which families protect their members adheres closely to the social cure model.…”

“…As (Hanke et al, 2016) demonstrate, family identity impacted well-being via increasing family belonging, which was in turn fostered by participation in family celebrations. In a qualitative meta-synthesis, Acero et al (2017) show that, across a range of different social and cultural contexts, an individual family member falling ill promotes family solidarity, because the illness is experienced collectively by the whole family.…”

Families as support and burden: A mixed methods exploration of the extent to which family identification and support predicts reductions in stress among disadvantaged neighbourhood residents

“…Family identification (a subjective sense of belonging to the family) is associated with better life satisfaction, lower depression, lower perceived stress (Sani et al, 2012), less psychological distress (Miller et al, 2015) and lower paranoid ideation (Sani et al, 2017). The family’s importance for stress-related coping is especially pronounced in family-oriented cultures (Acero et al, 2017).…”

“…Family identification and family support play important roles in buffering the impact of stress and discrimination (Rodriguez et al, 2018). For instance, Acero et al (2017) show that, across a range of qualitative investigations in different contexts, an individual family member falling ill promotes family solidarity because the illness is experienced collectively by the whole family (especially in collectivist cultures). Families also enhance well-being through participation and belonging: Hanke et al (2016) found family identification (which predicted well-being) was fostered by participation in family celebrations.…”