Children’s experiences of parental mental health problems : the professionals’ perspectives

Abstract

This study seeks to investigate the lived experiences of children who grow up with parents going through mental health issues. The general objectives are to explore how parental mental illness affects the offspring’s childhood, and how children cope and make meaning out of their family situation. This topic was explored through the perspectives of psychologists and psychotherapists who work with such children and their families, thus a qualitative approach was adopted to obtain an in-depth understanding of the main issues these children face. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants and data was analysed using Thematic Analysis. The findings are consistent with existing literature and indicate that children struggle with understanding mental illness in their parents due to inadequate explanation. They also face challenges related to parentification, attachment styles and child protection; and adopt several factors that promote their coping and resilience. The findings also indicate suggestions as proposed by service providers in this field, that should be considered in order to meet the needs of affected children and to enhance psychological services to both parents and families.