How to Support Parents of Infants and Young Children in Mental Health Care: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this narrative review is to gain insight into the appropriate intervention targets when parents of infants and young children suffer from psychopathology.Background: Psychopathology in parents is a risk factor for maladaptive parenting and is strongly related to negative cascade effects on parent-child interactions and relations in the short and long term. Children in their first years of life are especially at risk. However, in adult mental health care, this knowledge is rarely translated into practice, which is a missed opportunity for prevention.Methods: Electronic databases were searched for reviews and meta-analysis. In addition, sources were obtained via manual search, reference mining, expert opinion, and communications from conferences. In total, 56 papers, whereof 23 reviews and 12 meta-analyses were included.Results: Findings regarding targets of intervention were identified in different interacting domains, namely the parental, family, child, and environmental domains as well as the developing parent-child relationship. A “one size fits all” intervention is not appropriate. A flexible, tailored, resource-oriented intervention program, multi-faceted in addressing all modifiable risk factors and using different methods (individual, dyadic, group), seems to provide the best results.Conclusion: To address the risk factors in different domains, adult and child mental health care providers should work together in close collaboration to treat the whole family including mental disorders, relational, and contextual problems. A multi-agency approach that includes social services is needed.

The Patient’s Voice as a Parent in Mental Health Care: A Qualitative Study

“…In a review of intervention targets in the treatment of parents with mental health disorders and their young children for the purpose of preventing the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology, the social and economic context is mentioned as one of the important domains that should be addressed [ 16 ]. In our sample, 67% (N = 12) of the families experienced additional problems in this domain which included housing (N = 5), unemployment of patient (N = 11), absence from work due to mental disorder (N = 4), financial dependency of social services or government (N = 9), and debts (N = 2).…”

Integrated Family Approach in Mental Health Care by Professionals From Adult and Child Mental Health Services: A Qualitative Study

“…The prevalence of mental disorders in such children ranges from 41 to 77% for the whole diagnostic spectrum ( 3 ). The association between mental disorders in parents and their development among children is complex and depends on a number of interacting risk and protective factors ( 3 – 5 ). The risks are more prominent during pregnancy and early life due to the vulnerability of the fetus and the great dependence of the infant on the environment.…”

“…In addition, a secure attachment style is mentioned as a protective factor against the development of psychopathology ( 9 – 11 ). Therefore, mental health care that integrates treatment of parents with a mental disorder and their young children is needed ( 5 ).…”

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“…The prevalence of mental disorders in such children ranges from 41 to 77% for the whole diagnostic spectrum (3). The association between mental disorders in parents and their development among children is complex and depends on a number of interacting risk and protective factors (3)(4)(5). The risks are more prominent during pregnancy and early life due to the vulnerability of the fetus and the great dependence of the infant on the environment.…”

“…In addition, a secure attachment style is mentioned as a protective factor against the development of psychopathology (9)(10)(11). Therefore, mental health care that integrates treatment of parents with a mental disorder and their young children is needed (5).…”