Kinship Care for Children of a Parent With a Mental Illness

Rudder, Danielle; Riebschleger, Joanne; Anderson, Gary Clayton

doi:10.1080/10522158.2014.880982

Cited by 6 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…PMHPs affect all in the family: FCs, like parents and children, are managing complex and uncertain circumstances. Carer burden was apparent, as also shown in previous research (e.g., Östman, 2007;Rudder et al, 2014) and FCs should be included in support. This emphasizes the importance of considering the whole family when delivering interventions to families experiencing PMHPs and the important role that marital and family therapists can play.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

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

Gammage,

Nolte

2023

J Marital Family Therapy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

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

Gammage,

Nolte

2023

J Marital Family Therapy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This review has drawn together literature in a relatively sparse area of mental health research where adult relatives’ meaning making and communication experiences are the focus. In line with the family carer literature (Gallagher & Mechanic, 1996; Ostman, 2007; Rudder et al, 2014), this review highlighted the profound practical, emotional and social impact for relatives of people with a severe and enduring MHP. Burden, stigma, shame, financial difficulties and isolation were commonly cited, indicating the universality of these experiences across populations, genders and cultures.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…The shock of a mental health diagnosis can yield initial fear and confusion (Outram et al, 2015). Subsequently, psychosocial challenges and reductions in quality of life are common, including disruption of leisure activities and career, increased isolation, emotional distress, parenting stress, financial burden, grief and burnout (Gallagher & Mechanic, 1996; Ostman, 2007; Rudder, Riebschleger, & Anderson, 2014). Many adult relatives supporting a family member with severe and enduring MHP describe loss of hope for the future (Rose, 1983) and stigmatization by peers, professionals and strangers (Bruland, Lenz, & Wahl, 2017).…”

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

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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.

show abstract

“…The further complications brought on by the COVID-19, such as the closure of schools and lack of contact with peers for these children, stands for “adding salt” to these “wounds.” As indicated earlier, the lockdown restrictions introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic means that children will spend more time at home with their parent with mental illness and engage in limited or have no physical contact activities with their peers outside home. Studies show that children whose parents have mental illness experience difficulties building social relationships, perform poorly in school, engage in illicit alcohol or drug use, are at risk of out of home placements and can develop mental illness themselves (Hosman et al, 2009; Rudder et al, 2014). It is likely that the condition of some of these children may worsen the longer they stay home.…”

Section: Adding Salt To Wounds?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In cases where the parent with mental illness fails to perform their caregiving role, role reversal between the parent and the child may take place where the child begins to take care of other members in the family including the parent (Van Parys et al, 2015). There are studies that suggest that sometimes parents with mental illness become single parents (Montgomery et al, 2011; Rudder et al, 2014). As a result of this, the burden of care often lies on children, especially the older ones.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Adding salt to wounds”: Parentification among children living with parents with mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of social workers

Cudjoe

Kwabia

Chiu

et al. 2021

Developmental Child Welfare

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Children living with a parent with mental illness experience challenges as some may take on the roles of their parents. Physical distancing restrictions introduced because of the COVID-19 pandemic means that many children will spend more time at home which could heighten the impact of parental mental illness. For many of these children, engaging in activities with peers provides them a sort of normal life outside their family environment. However, face-to-face interactions with others outside the family may be limited under existing public health protocols. Moreover, services for children in families where there is parental mental illness may also be limited considering limitations placed on people’s movements to reduce the rate of COVID-19 infections. This opinion article draws on existing research and practitioner knowledge to suggest how social workers can continue supporting these children and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Support, in the form of online interventions, have been recommended to meet the needs of children during the pandemic period. Online support is timely because it is easily accessible and often does not require face-to-face interactions. Social workers and other human service professionals should be able to adapt existing online services to the needs of the children which they serve.

show abstract

Kinship Care for Children of a Parent With a Mental Illness

Cited by 6 publications

References 21 publications

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

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

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

“Adding salt to wounds”: Parentification among children living with parents with mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of social workers

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About