Promoting Self-Determination in Parents With Mental Illness in Adult Mental Health Settings

Abstract

This article reports a strengths-based intervention to support parents with mental illness and their children in adult mental health settings: “Let’s Talk About Children” (LTC) intervention. A qualitative methodology was adopted with parent participants receiving LTC in adult mental health and family services. The benefits for parents receiving LTC were described through in-depth interviews with 25 parents following the delivery of the program. Interview data identified an impact on parental self-regulation—mainly through a change in a sense of agency as a parent—and skill building, once a clearer picture of their child’s everyday life was understood. This study outlines the benefits of talking with parents about the strengths and vulnerabilities of their children during routine mental health treatment. The role for self-determination of parents in preventive interventions for children is an important consideration for mental health recovery, and it also helps to break the cycle of transgenerational mental illness within families.

Development of an Evidence-Informed and Codesigned Model of Support for Children of Parents With a Mental Illness— “It Takes a Village” Approach

“…Motivational interviewing skills uses various communication techniques to improve a person's self-efficacy or sense of their own capability, and enhances their motivation for changes through a focus on a person's desired behaviors (70)(71)(72). Because of this, motivational interviewing has parallels with the promotion of self-determination and self-regulation in a person (73), two areas of change that has more recently been linked as core elements for families benefitting from family interventions (5). Motivational interviewing skills also prove useful in managing parent ambivalence or engagement issues in child and family social work (74).…”

“…This focus is not new though to family interventions for children of parents with a mental illness. These are reported components of interventions such as Family Talk (65), Let's Talk about Children (5,38,64) and Family Options (80,81).…”

“…Mental illness typically occurs within families, impacting parents, children, and the whole family situation (5). Population estimates indicate that over 50% of people with a lifetime diagnosis of mental illness are parents (6), and worldwide, between 12 and 45% of adults attending adult mental health services are parents (7).…”

“…A need still exists for systemic change which emphasizes the early identification and prevention of risk factors for children's mental health (28)(29)(30)(31). Making these children visible involves both direct support to children and parents focussing on improving behavioral outcomes; as well as a need to draw on strategies to promote motivation to change for those families deeply affected by systemic disempowerment (4,5,32,33). Whole of family approaches and integrated models need to be considered moving forward to address the multiple and complex needs of these families, and addresses the influences that affect generations with mental health challenges (13,(34)(35)(36)(37).…”

Perspective: Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic for Family-Focused Practice With Parents With Mental Illness and Their Families

“…If the emotional reserves of professionals have been tested, how has that impacted therapeutic relationships? Are practitioners more attuned to their parent-clients and the needs of the children in these families ( 32 )? In training and supervision, practitioners may be able to draw from their personal exposure to adversity to consider their perception of risk and their capacity to maintain a fundamentally non-judgmental, strengths-based approach in their work.…”