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This study investigated the impact of psychoeducation on service utilization and mood symptom severity in children with mood disorders. Parents' knowledge of mood disorders, beliefs about treatment, and perceptions of children's need for treatment were hypothesized to mediate the relationship between psychoeducation and service utilization and between psychoeducation and mood symptom severity. Linear mixed effects modeling and joint significance test for mediation were used in secondary data analyses of the multifamily psychoeducation group (MFPG) study, a randomized controlled trial of 165 children ages 8 to 12 years with mood disorders. A majority of those sampled were male (73%) and White, non-Hispanic (90%), and the median range of family income was $40,000-$59,000. Participation in MFPG significantly improved quality of services utilized, mediated by parents' beliefs about treatment. Participation in MFPG also significantly improved severity of child's mood symptoms, mediated by quality of services utilized. MFPG appears to be a psychoeducational intervention that helps parents to become better consumers of the mental health system who access higher quality services. Children's symptom severity decreases as a result.

Serious mental illness in children can significantly impact the parents who care for these children in both positive and negative ways. Caregiver strain and enrichment manifests in all areas of parents' lives, including work, mental and physical health, and social and family relationships.Research has identified numerous predictors of caregiver strain such as severity of child's illness and impairment, race, and social support. These parents need strengths-based, parent-focused interventions to help them care for themselves and their family in a healthy, effective manner. A brief summary describes 4 types of interventions for parents of children with mental illness and the supporting research. Education, support, and skill building are all important components in parent interventions. A parent focus for interventions and research will decrease caregiver strain and create a healthier environment for the entire family.

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Research reveals limited knowledge of children's mental health among caregivers. This paper identifies predictors of mental health literacy among parents of children diagnosed with mood disorders that are seeking or already receiving help. Secondary data analysis using multivariate regression was conducted on data from a randomized, controlled efficacy trial with a sample of 165 children. Mental health literacy was higher for parents who were female, white, higher educated and had children who were older, had a bipolar diagnosis or received more services. Lifetime experience with mental health disorders also predicted literacy. Public mental health efforts are needed to raise caregiver mental health literacy.