scholarly journals “We Are More than Our Parents’ Mental Illness”: Narratives from Adult Children

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Patrick ◽  
Andrea Reupert ◽  
Louise McLean
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Adult Children ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
New World ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Parental Mental Illness ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Member Checks

Although research on children of parents with mental illness is growing, few researchers have examined the long-term impact of parental mental illness on adult children. This study explored the potential impact of growing up with a parent with a mental illness on the parenting role assumed by adult children. The qualitative study included ten participants, who were individually interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) along with member checks were utilised to derive themes from participants’ narratives. Three main themes were identified, including: ‘this is me’, ‘a whole new world’, and ‘because of you’. ‘This is me’ consisted of narratives highlighting how adult children intentionally went about parenting in ways different from their parents, and ‘a whole new world’ captured the salient identity that parenthood served for adult children. The third theme, ‘because of you’ highlighted the challenges adult children faced in their parenting roles as a result of their childhood experience living with a parent with mental illness. Participants highlighted the main challenges to be an absence of a reference point and lack of informal social supports. Recommendations for mental health practitioners and future research are presented in order to develop better ways to support adult children and their families.

scholarly journals Is Resilience Affected By Parental Mental Illness? A Study of Tribal Young Adults

2019 ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Gayathri Devadasan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Null Hypothesis ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Parental Mental Illness ◽  
Tribal Communities ◽  
Resilience Scale ◽  
Comparison Groups ◽  
Tribal Populations ◽  
Psychological Coping

Resilience is a sign of positive psychological coping amidst adversity. Limited studies have investigated resilience in young adults who have a parent with mental illness, and fewer in tribal populations. This mixed methods study was based on a sequential explanatory model. A pilot field study was conducted with tribal young adults (n=10). The main study aimed to assess resilience in tribal young adults (n=61) through the administration of the Tamil translated version of the Wagnild& Young Resilience Scale (2009). Purposive sampling from a tribal hospital’s records derived young adults from 4 vulnerable tribal communities residing in Nilgiri hills of South India. Target group comprised tribal young adults (n=31) who had a parent with depression or psychosis, and comparison group comprised tribal young adults (n=30) with parents without mental illness. A subsample of participants from each group (n=5+5) was selected for a semi-structured interview. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using Independent Samples t-Test and Thematic Analysis respectively. Results revealed that overall resilience was not significantly different between target and comparison groups, which accepted the null hypothesis. Resilience was not significantly different between females and males, which again accepted the null hypothesis. Despite living in severe adversity tribal young adults are resilient; parental mental illness is only one among many vulnerabilities faced by them. The prevailing extrinsic and intrinsic protective factors might explain their resilience.

Talking to children about parental mental illness: The experiences of well parents

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 367-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Divya Ballal ◽  
Janardhana Navaneetham
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Parental Mental Illness ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
The Family ◽  
Supportive Family ◽  
History Of ◽  
Source Of Information

Background: Children of parents with mental illness are not routinely included in psychoeducational and supportive family interventions provided by adult mental health systems. The family, therefore, is an important and, sometimes, the only source of information and support for them. Aim: To understand the experiences of well parents in talking to their children about parental mental illness. Method: This article presents the findings of a qualitative study of the experiences of well parents in talking to their children about parental mental illness. Ten well parents whose spouses were diagnosed with a severe mental illness participated in the study. Socio-demographic information, family details and history of the spouse’s mental illness along with their experiences of talking to children about parental mental illness, the perceived risks and benefits, challenges they faced and the role of others in the process were recorded. Qualitative data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings: The themes of ‘distancing children from parental mental illness’, ‘avoiding conversations about the illness’, ‘giving and receiving emotional support’, ‘providing explanations of the illness’ and ‘regulating other sources of information’ show the complex ways in which well parents influence their children’s understanding of parental mental illness. The findings are examined in the background of what is known about this topic from the perspective of children or of the parent with illness. Possible ways to support well parents in families affected by parental mental illness are discussed. Conclusion: This study is a step forward in the understanding of how families talk to children about parental mental illness and provides the perspective of the well parent.

scholarly journals Parental Mental Health in Childhood as a Risk Factor for Anxiety and Depression among People Seeking Help for Tinnitus and Hyperacusis

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (09) ◽  
pp. 772-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hashir Aazh ◽  
Ali A. Danesh ◽  
Brian C. J. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Mental Health Disorders ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Parental Mental Illness ◽  
Parental Mental Health ◽  
Health Disorders ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractParental mental illness is a risk factor for mental health disorders in the offspring. However, the relationship between parental illness in childhood and mental health disorders in adulthood among patients with tinnitus and/or hyperacusis is not known.The aim was to explore the relationship between parental mental health in childhood and anxiety and depression for patients experiencing tinnitus and/or hyperacusis.This was a retrospective cross-sectional study with a correlational design.Two hundred eighty-seven consecutive patients who attended a Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Therapy Specialist Clinic in the United Kingdom were included. Their average age was 52.5 years.The association was explored between anxiety and depression measured via the Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD-7) and the Patient Health questionnaire (PHQ-9) and responses to the question “While you were growing up during the first 18 years of life did your parent(s) have depression or mental illness?”Thirty-nine percent of patients (111/287) responded “yes” to the question about their parents’ mental health, which is about double the incidence in the general population. Regression analysis showed that parental mental illness significantly increased the risk of anxiety and depression, with unadjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 2.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5–4.9, p = 0.001) for the PHQ-9 and 2.6 (95% CI: 1.4–4.8, p = 0.002) for the GAD-7. However, when the models were adjusted for the effects of age, gender, tinnitus handicap as measured via the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, hyperacusis handicap as measured via the Hyperacusis questionnaire, uncomfortable loudness levels, GAD-7 scores (for the depression model only), and PHQ-9 scores (for the anxiety model only), parental mental health was only significantly associated with depression, with an OR of 2.7 (95% CI: 1.08–6.7, p = 0.033).Audiologists offering tinnitus and hyperacusis rehabilitation should screen patients for parental mental illness in childhood, especially for those with comorbid depression, and make onward referral to appropriate mental health services when needed. Future research should analyze the breadth and type of adverse childhood experiences among patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis and their relationship with mental problems and treatment efficacy.

scholarly journals Opioids and an Active Population: Athletic Trainers' Perceptions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Bates
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Collegiate Athletes ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Qualitative Research Study ◽  
Active Population ◽  
Member Checks

Purpose: Opioid use, misuse, and abuse are occurring in both high school and collegiate athletes. There is limited research that examines athletic trainers' perceptions of opioids. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate athletic trainers’ awareness and practice of opioids in an active population. Method: Qualitative inquiry was used to explore athletic trainers' awareness of opioids in an active population. Ten athletic trainers (7 male, 3 female) employed in the Northwest Athletic Training Association (6 collegiate, 4 high schools) volunteered for this study. Phone interviews were conducted in July to September 2017 with a semi-structured interview protocol. Interview data were analyzed inductively to uncover dominant themes, first by organizing the data, then summarizing into codes, and finally interpreting. Trustworthiness included both peer review and member checks. Results: Three themes emerged from this study regarding athletic trainers' practice with opioids: 1) athletic trainers have a responsibility to their patients regarding opioids, 2) communication with patients about opioids, and 3) athletic trainer perceived a lack of education regarding opioids. Conclusions: Evidence demonstrated that athletic trainers feel they have a role with opioids and their patients. While the majority of participants in this study did discuss opioids with their patients, athletic trainers felt they were lacking knowledge of opioids. Future research should explore athletic trainers’ knowledge and education surrounding opioids and an active population.

An Examination of the Developmental Impact of Continuing Destructive Parental Conflict on Young Adult Children

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Fozard ◽  
Peter Gubi
Keyword(s):  
Young Adult ◽  
Adult Children ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Role Reversal ◽  
Parental Conflict ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Parent Child Relationships ◽  
Parent Child

This research investigates the impact of destructive parental conflict in continuously married parents, on young adult children. Four trainee or practicing counselors, who had personal experience of growing up in families in which there was continuing destructive parental conflict, were interviewed. The data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings resulted in four superordinate themes: feelings of loss, impact to family structure, trauma associated with the conflict, and impacts to personal and professional development, within which were 12 subordinate themes. Short-term impacts focused on mental health and self-esteem, and loss of security at home. Long-term impacts focused on future relationships, defensiveness, parent–child role-reversal, impacts to career, trauma, and parent–child relationships. The results demonstrate the necessity for support to be made available to children who are exposed to destructive parental conflict in parents who remain married, as well as to the adult children of continuing destructive parental conflict.

scholarly journals In Jen’s Shoes – Looking Back to Look Forward: An Autoethnographic Account

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Sze ◽  
Jane Southcott
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Cultural Identities ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Contemporary Culture ◽  
Equity In Education ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Made In

This paper discusses the monumental events in my life that have shaped my two professional identities, teacher and researcher. I used autoethnography as a research methodology to traverse my personal life narratives across two different countries: Vietnam and Australia to seek and to examine my dual cultural identities, and how they shaped me. I am a passionate teacher who believes that teaching can change the world through the causes that I care about such as anti-racism and equity in education for students from all backgrounds. In this case study, data were collected by semi-structured interview and reflection on journals. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The findings are reported under four themes that reflected the stages of my life: designed in Vietnam, made in Australia was the first phase, growing up in Australia, my schooling years and professional years. By making sense of the narratives and involved, it helped me to understand myself better, who I am as a teacher and the causes that I believe in. As an Australian with hybrid cultural identities, I am the norm in contemporary culture.

Personal meaning of recovery among persons with schizophrenia

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110683
Author(s):  
Shari Tess Mathew ◽  
Bergai Parthsarathy Nirmala ◽  
John Vijay Sagar Kommu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Personal Meaning ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Personal Recovery ◽  
Interview Schedule ◽  
Persons With Schizophrenia ◽  
Recovery Approach

Background: Recovery in mental illness is not synonymous with cure. Personal recovery approach consider recovery as a process and not as an outcome. This approach takes into account the subjective meaning of recovery by assessing how a person has learned to accommodate and live with an illness. Aim: To study the personal meaning of recovery among persons with schizophrenia. Method: This article presents the findings of a qualitative study about what ‘recovery’ means to persons with schizophrenia. A semi structured interview schedule was prepared based on literature review and expert opinion. Twenty participants who met the inclusion criteria and personally consider themselves recovering/recovered from schizophrenia were selected for the in-depth qualitative interviews. Data was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Meaning of recovery from each participant’s perspective was recorded. Findings: The results indicate factors that patients deem important for their recovery are, absence of symptoms, regaining functioning, being able to work, having adequate emotional stability and not being on medicines. The findings are examined in the background of the previous studies and suggestions for clinical practice and research is also discussed. Conclusion: Recovery is far more than remission of symptoms. Persons with mental illness has their own criteria of recovery, which could be very distinct from the clinical definition. Current study findings can help in identifying meaning of recovery through the perspectives of persons with mental illness and in developing and implementing recovery-oriented services.

scholarly journals A parent’s perspective of the bidirectional impact of mental illness in families

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Frederick Naughton ◽  
Darryl Maybery ◽  
Melinda Goodyear
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Family Type ◽  
Parental Mental Illness ◽  
Family Experiences ◽  
Narrative Design ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
The Impact

Objective: Recent research has found over 70% of children attending a mental health service also have a parent with a mental illness. Research on the impact of mental illness in families focuses primarily on how parental mental illness impacts on children. What is not understood is the experience of parents and children where both have a mental illness. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of parents where both a child and a parent have a mental illness.Methods: Thirty-seven parents were interviewed using a narrative design to determine their personal and family experiences. Interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis with a number of themes highlighted.Results: Themes particular to this family type were: impact of parental mental illness; specific strategies; bidirectional impacts of mental illness; and intergenerational factors. Also raised were supports parents would have liked. From the narrative of these parents the challenges of families, where both a parent and a child have a mental illness, are highlighted.Conclusions: It is from these interviews, that awareness of clinicians can be raised, and more effective, well-thought-out interventions put in place. Interventions that take account of the bidirectional influences of mental illness will be more successful in meeting the needs of all members of a family. People do not operate in isolation and providing a family focused approach is an essential first step in helping people manage where mental illness is a prevalent factor for different family members.

scholarly journals Parenting experiences of Chinese mothers living with a mental illness

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingling Chen ◽  
Kitty Vivekananda ◽  
Lili Guan ◽  
Andrea Reupert
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Parental Mental Illness ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Western Countries ◽  
Chinese Mothers ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Although the experiences of mothers with mental illness are well researched in Western countries, little is known about the experiences of Chinese mothers. This study aims to explore the experiences of family life and parenting of Chinese mothers, in the context of their mental illness. Methods Fourteen Chinese mothers with mental illness undertook in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed to guide the data analysis. Results Seven themes were identified: motherhood as a central identity, the stigma associated with being a mother with mental illness, participants’ perceptions about the impact of mental illness on parenting and their children, experiences of talking to children about mental illness, how having children impacts mothers’ illness and recovery, and support obtained and needed. Similar to Western mothers, Chinese mothers experienced stigma and fluctuating mental illness symptoms which impacted on parenting. Unlike mothers based in Western countries, the mothers interviewed in this study highlighted complicated co-caring relationships with parents-in-law and did not raise child custody concerns. Conclusions Mental health professionals need to have the skills to identify and recognize the mothering role of their clients. Culturally sensitive interventions are required to assist Chinese families where mothers have a mental illness. Future research is required to investigate family experiences of parental mental illness from the perspectives of children, partners, and mental health professionals.

Working in disability employment: An interpretative phenomenological study of experiences of people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia

2021 ◽  
pp. 030802262110394
Author(s):  
Namino Ottewell
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychosocial Disability ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Disability Employment

Aim To understand how employees with schizophrenia in disability employment interpret their work experience. Method Nine people with schizophrenia were interviewed. Data were analysed with the interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results All participants regarded themselves as ‘persons with mental illness’. Some participants developed their mental illness identity by realising that working without accommodations is difficult. Although participants found working in the current company comfortable because the supervisors provided appropriate accommodations, they were dissatisfied with low salary. A proportion of the participants felt dissatisfaction with the menial work, which led to low levels of self-esteem as they viewed non-disability employment of higher value. In addition, the present study noted a difference between self-labelling and labelling by others; although participants regarded themselves as ‘persons with mental illness’, they felt reluctant to be viewed as such by others. Most of the participants wanted to work in non-disability employment in future for financial and personal reasons, such as to increase self-esteem. Conclusion It is imperative that benefits and other issues in disability employment for people with psychosocial disability relating to mental illness are explored more broadly in future research. Further, employers must create healthy workplaces, for all employees regardless of disability can benefit from it.

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