Parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka: Challenges and perceived care needs
Introduction Parenting with mental illness is associated with parenting difficulties and increased mental health problems in children. Family focused interventions improve child outcomes by 40%. However, such services are not available at present in Sri Lanka. Objectives To assess the challenges...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821019209/type/journal_article |
| Summary: | Introduction
Parenting with mental illness is associated with parenting difficulties and increased mental health problems in children. Family focused interventions improve child outcomes by 40%. However, such services are not available at present in Sri Lanka.
Objectives
To assess the challenges faced and perceived needs of parents with mental illness in Sri Lanka.
Methods
A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in the adult psychiatry follow-up clinics in a Teaching Hospital in Sri Lanka. A specifically designed questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic details, difficulties with parenting and perceived care needs.
Results
Of 385 parents, 67.3% believed their mental illness impacted their parenting. Perceived impact on parenting was higher in younger parents (p<0.01), when the children were younger (p<0.01), had more children under 5 years (p<0.01) and when there was no social support (p<0.01). 67.8% of parents believed their illness impacted their children, with higher impact perceived in parents with children less than 5 years of age (p<0.05) and those with no social support (p<0.01). Although 36.4% had concerns about their children’s emotions or behaviour, only 16.4% were willing to discuss these with their doctor. The parental concerns were significantly higher where the parent was employed (p<0.01), had a longer duration of illness (p<0.01) and when the youngest child was more than 12 years (p<0.01)
Conclusions
Mental illness in parents had a substantial impact on parenting and their children but professionals help was rarely sought. Services aimed at the specific needs of these parents should be developed.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| ISSN: | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |