Children with parents suffering from mental illness : an exploration of its effects

Abstract

The occurrence of mental illness can result in significant effects on the person suffering from mental illness as well as their families. Efforts are most likely directed towards the person with such problems and less attention has been directed towards their families, especially the children. There have been limited studies concerned with the effects of such an experience on these children and any services that were of help. The present study explores the experience of adult children who have a parent that suffers from mental illness. This study is concerned with the past experiences of adult children that grew up with a parent who suffered from mental illness in their household. A total of five participants were interviewed, four of which are adult children speaking about their past and one who is an ex-spouse of a person that suffers from mental illness, speaking of their children’s present experience. Qualitative, in-depth interviewing was adopted and data analysis was made possible with the use of transcription. Results are divided into 9 themes. These include the type of relationship that the children had with their ill parent, the domains in which this illness affects the children which are school, roles and responsibilities in the home, financial resources, the availability of their parent to be their ‘guide’ in life, the different feelings that these children experienced, leisure and social participation and services by different professionals that were available to these children. This research encountered valuable findings about these children. An important aspect that came out was that the effects on the child highly depend on how well the parent addressed the mental health problem. It also resulted that siblings are affected differently by this experience and may also adopt different feelings and attitudes towards their parent and situation. This study also analysed the availability of services for these children and it resulted that they were not taken much into consideration, especially when there was another parent residing in the household. This study helps to expand on existing literature about the ability of children of coping during such an experience. It helps provide a better idea of what are the actual practices that are adopted by professionals in the mental health area when it comes to children of individuals with mental illness. It also helps to sound the concerns and recommendations of these adult children in order to improve the lives of children who are presently going through this experience.