Parents with Psychosis: Impact on Parenting & Parent-Child Relationship

Abstract

Objective: This systematic review explores the impact of parents with psychosis on parenting and parent-child relationship. Method: Psychiatric disorders in which psychosis may be found such as; schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive) and personality disorders, studies assess either fathers or mothers as parents experiencing psychosis and samples of children or adolescents aged until 18 were included in the review. As the search strategy; PsycINFO, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Maternity and Infant Care, PsycARTICLES and Cochrane databases were searched from the beginning of databases. Seven studies were reviewed. Results: Overall, studies portray consistency on the fact that having parents with psychosis induces chaotic, ambivalent communication; severe impairments in the ability of parenting; parenting stress; disorganized, disrupted parenting as well as maladjusted relationship; parents experiencing burden of nurturing and features of permissive, neglectful and authoritarian parenting styles. Conclusion: In families where parental psychotic disorder disrupts parenting and parent-child relationship, the more family functioning and parents are supported, less possible negative outcomes and disorganization occur. There is a significant lack of psychological support for parents with psychotic disorders, so that necessity for treatment and support is indisputable.

Parenting skills of patients with chronic schizophrenia

“…[ 10 ] Other studies suggest that parents with schizophrenia have difficulties in forming attachments with their children and nurturing them appropriately[ 42 ] and indulge in permissive, neglectful, and authoritarian parenting styles. [ 12 ] There is also some evidence to suggest that parental schizophrenia is associated with chaotic and ambivalent communication, severe impairments in ability of parenting, disorganized, and disrupted parenting. [ 12 ] Findings of the present study too reflect similar features.…”

“…[ 12 ] There is also some evidence to suggest that parental schizophrenia is associated with chaotic and ambivalent communication, severe impairments in ability of parenting, disorganized, and disrupted parenting. [ 12 ] Findings of the present study too reflect similar features. In the present study, as per both parents and children in the healthy control group, the parenting skills of patients with schizophrenia and their children, were lower than the healthy controls.…”

“…[ 11 ] Paternal psychotic illness induces chaotic ambivalent communication, severe impairments in the ability of parenting, parenting stress, disorganized and disrupted parenting as well as maladjusted relationship. [ 12 ]…”

“…[ 13 ] Parental behavior such as distorted expressions of reality or strange behaviours/beliefs is considered as the root cause for children experiencing anxious, confused, perplexed relationship with their parents and attachment problems. [ 12 ] Children of patients with schizophrenia have also been shown to more often experience psychiatric disturbances, have more problems associated with school, less contact with relatives and more at-home time. [ 14 ] Further, as the child grows up, inconsistencies in parenting puts extra responsibilities on children of ill mothers.…”

Percussions of Nature and Nurture Interplay on Children′s and Adolescents′ Behavior

“…Engur [4] showed in her review the negative percussions of parental psychosis on parenting and the interaction between children and their parents. The importance of psychological support and prompt intervention in cases of parental psychosis has been highlighted.…”