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...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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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 |
| _version_ | 1797617221973835776 |
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| author | Y. Rohanachandra I. Amarabandu L. Rohanachandra |
| author_facet | Y. Rohanachandra I. Amarabandu L. Rohanachandra |
| author_sort | Y. Rohanachandra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
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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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:52:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ac824c6801f24f008ed3ef4c2e2d6922 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:52:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-ac824c6801f24f008ed3ef4c2e2d69222023-11-17T05:06:28ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S725S72510.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1920Parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka: Challenges and perceived care needsY. Rohanachandra0I. Amarabandu1L. Rohanachandra2Department Of Psychiatry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri LankaDepartment Of Psychiatry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri LankaSpecial Care Baby Unit, Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka 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. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821019209/type/journal_articleparenting with mental illnesschallangesimpact |
| spellingShingle | Y. Rohanachandra I. Amarabandu L. Rohanachandra Parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka: Challenges and perceived care needs European Psychiatry parenting with mental illness challanges impact |
| title | Parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka: Challenges and perceived care needs |
| title_full | Parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka: Challenges and perceived care needs |
| title_fullStr | Parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka: Challenges and perceived care needs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka: Challenges and perceived care needs |
| title_short | Parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka: Challenges and perceived care needs |
| title_sort | parenting with mental illness among patients presenting to a teaching hospital in sri lanka challenges and perceived care needs |
| topic | parenting with mental illness challanges impact |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821019209/type/journal_article |
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