BackgroundComprehensive evidence exists regarding the discrepancy between children's reports and parents' by proxy reports on emotional and behavioural problems. However, little is yet known about factors influencing the extent to which child self- and parent by proxy reports differ in respect of child Quality of Life (QoL). The aim of the study was to investigate the degree of discrepancy between child and parent by proxy reports as measured by two different QoL instruments.MethodsA representative Norwegian sample of 1997 school children aged 8–16 years, and their parents were studied using the Inventory of Life Quality (ILC) and the 'Kinder Lebensqualität Fragebogen' (KINDL). Child and parent reports were compared by t-test, and correlations were calculated by Pearson product moment coefficient. Psychometric aspects were examined in regard to both translated QoL instruments (internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability by intraclass correlation coefficients).ResultsParents evaluated the QoL of their children significantly more positively than did the children. Correlations between mother-child and father-child reports were significant (p < 0.01) and similar but low to moderate (r = 0.32; and r = 0.30, respectively, for the KINDL, and r = 0.30 and r = 0.26, respectively, for the ILC). Mother and father reports correlated moderately highly (r = 0.54 and r = 0.61 for the KINDL and ILC, respectively). No significant differences between correlations of mother-daughter/son and father-daughter/son pairs in regard to reported child QoL were observed on either of the two instruments.ConclusionIn the present general population sample, parents reported higher child QoL than did their children. Concordance between child and parent by proxy report was low to moderate. The level of agreement between mothers and fathers in regard to their child's QoL was moderate. No significant impact of parent and child gender in regard to agreement in ratings of child QoL was found. Both the child and parent versions of the Norwegian translations of the KINDL and ILC can be used in surveys of community populations, but in regard to the self-report of 9–10 years old children, only the KINDL total QoL scale or the ILC are recommended.

Data suggest that the family-oriented intervention 'getting well together' seems to be beneficial to mothers' and children's quality of life and psychological well-being. Combining oncological rehabilitation and preventive child-centered interventions might be a feasible approach to supporting breast cancer patients and their children and improving their emotional state. Further research is warranted.

Preventive measures for children of mentally ill parents urgently need improvement. In this article, positively evaluated programs of preventive measures are discussed. Essential prerequisites for success include appropriate, specialized treatment of the parental illness, psychoeducative measures, and special support (e.g. self-help groups) as indicated by the family's particular needs.

In two German child and adolescent psychiatric treatment and research centers, a controlled treatment study was conducted in which two randomized treatment groups (in-patient treatment and home treatment) were compared. Subjects were children and adolescents with severe psychiatric disorders, for whom normal outpatient treatment was not sufficient (mean age of the patients was 11 years and 9 months at the beginning of treatment). The results showed no differences in therapy outcome between the two treatment modalities. In a further study, the results of which are presented here, a follow-up assessment (average follow-up interval: 3 years and 8 months) of the two treatment groups (follow-up sample of the inpatient treatment group: n = 33; home treatment group: n = 35) was undertaken in order to investigate the course of the psychiatric disturbances and the long-term effects of the treatments. As measurement categories for the outcome "adaption at school" and "number of marked symptoms" were used in pre-, post- and follow-up assessment. The most important results are 1) The number of marked psychiatric symptoms and the adaptation at school or work exhibit the same type of course over time. Post-treatment scores are much better when compared to pre-treatment scores, but decline slightly upon follow-up, although they remain significantly better than the pre-treatment scores. Thus, the study shows that improvements relating to the psychiatric symptoms are quite stable after several years. 2) There were no relevant differences between the treatment modalities "inpatient treatment" and "home treatment" in terms of effect-size upon follow-up, and in inferential analysis. Any tendency towards difference was in favor of home treatment. So the results give strong support to the conclusion that at least for a specific group of patients (about 15% of those patients usually treated in an inpatient setting) residential treatment can be replaced by home treatment and that the long-term therapeutic outcome of home treatment is stable and persistent. Thus, in terms of psychiatric care and clinical practice, our results provide empirical support to the idea that home treatment should be used more frequently and much more broadly in the future.

BackgroundDuring the recent decade, a number of studies have begun to address Quality of Life (QoL) in children and adolescents with mental health problems in general population and clinical samples. Only about half of the studies utilized both self and parent proxy report of child QoL. Generally children with mental health problems have reported lower QoL compared to healthy children. The question whether QoL assessment by both self and parent proxy report can identify psychiatric health services needs not detected by an established instrument for assessing mental health problems, i.e. the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), has never been examined and was the purpose of the present study.MethodsNo study exists that compares child QoL as rated by both child and parent, in a sample of referred child psychiatric outpatients with a representative sample of students attending public school in the same catchment area while controlling for mental health problems in the child. In the current study patients and students, aged 8-15.5 years, were matched with respect to age, gender and levels of the CBCL Total Problems scores. QoL was assessed by the self- and parent proxy-reports on the Inventory of Life Quality in Children and Adolescents (ILC). QoL scores were analyzed by non-parametric tests, using Wilcoxon paired rank comparisons.ResultsBoth outpatients and their parents reported significantly lower child QoL on the ILC than did students and their parents, when children were matched on sex and age. Given equal levels of emotional and behavioural problems, as reported by the parents on the CBCL, in the two contrasting samples, the outpatients and their parents still reported lower QoL levels than did the students and their parents.ConclusionsChild QoL reported both by child and parent was reduced in outpatients compared to students with equal levels of mental health problems as reported by their parents on the CBCL. This suggests that it should be helpful to add assessment of QoL to achieve a fuller picture of children presenting to mental health services.

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Children of psychiatrically ill parents represent a risk group that has received growing attention during the last years. The risk for this group to develop a psychiatric illness is markedly increased due to genetic and psychosocial factors. The development of effective preventive concepts requires a thorough knowledge of the psychosocial factors. In this paper, deficits and problems of research in psychosocial transmission mechanism are discussed taking the example of children of depressive parents. Conclusions from this exemplary considerations may serve as guidelines for future research. The authors suggest that the focus be rather placed on coping strategies and developmental psychopathology. Further, research criteria are formulated that refer to theoretical models as well as to study design.